TRIBUTE TO MONTANA BUTSCH AS THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHICAGO TRAINING CENTER
WHEREAS, Montana Butsch is the Founder and Executive Director of the Chicago Training Center (CTC). Now in its seventh year, CTC is an afterschool program that introduces low - income, minority teens to competitive rowing, and helps students leverage their participation in this alternative sport to maximize their personal and academic potential. CTC is the largest fully free program of its kind in the country, and has been featured by the Chicago Tribune, WTTW's Chicago Tonight, WYCC's In the Loop, and Telemundo; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Butsch was a member of Loyola Academy's (Wilmette, IL) crew team, a varsity rower at the University of Pennsylvania, and a member of the 2003 and 2004 Boatrace squads as a graduate student at Oxford University (winning the 2004 ISIS v. Goldie race). Montana also participated in selection trials for both the junior and senior U.S. national teams, and placed at both the American and British National Championships; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Butsch holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and read Education Research while at Oxford University (St. Edmund Hall). He is an Executive Scholar with Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, focusing on nonprofit leadership; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Butsch is committed to promoting rowing throughout the United States, he is a founding member of USRowing's Task Force on Access, Affordability, and Diversity, as well as a founding board member of the annual International Chicago River Race; and
WHEREAS, Montana Butsch is a passionate advocate for rowing and other alternative sports as pathways to opportunity for urban youth, and his opinion pieces have appeared in Chicagoside Sports, Catalyst, and other media; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable James A. Balcer, Alderman of the 11th Ward has apprised this august body of the significant contribution of Montana Butsch; now...
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