From LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Press Release

Carey Pinkowski, executive race director of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, was honored on Saturday, Oct. 27 with the Marathon Foto/Road Race Management Race Director of the Year Award, presented by Running Times.

Pinkowski has been race director since 1990, leading The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon to become one of the premier races in the world. From 1994 through 2001, under Pinkowski's direction and LaSalle Bank as title sponsor, the number of registered runners has grown more than three-fold from 10,021 to 37,500.

Pinkowski accepted The 2001 Race Director of the Year Award at the 19th annual Road Race Management Race Directors' Meeting in Washington, D.C. The award is determined by a vote of a diverse 10-member committee comprised of race directors, sponsors and elite athletes. Nominees are judged on several factors, including reputation of race, sponsor relations, promotional creativity and organizational ability.

"I consider it a great honor to be acknowledged by such a distinguished group, and I have great respect for all the previous race directors awarded this honor," Pinkowski said.

"Under Mr. Pinkowski's leadership, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has become a first class event with great management, organization and world record results", said Phil Stewart, editor of Road Race Management, in making the presentation.

Pinkowski is responsible for coordinating and overseeing many different facets of the event's production including designing the Marathon course, recruiting elite athletes and working with dozens of city, state and federal agencies.

Chicago solidified its position as the world's fastest marathon in 2001 with Catherine Ndereba's phenomenal world record performance of 2:18:47. Chicago also has the men's world record of 2:05:42, set in 1999 by three-time champion Khalid Khannouchi. In addition, Chicago has the men's and women's American marathon records. Khannouchi's winning time of 2:07:01 in 2000 is the current American record while Joan Benoit Samuelson's winning performance of 2:21:21 in 1985 still stands.

Mark Nystuen, chief marketing officer of LaSalle Bank, said, "Carey has played a vital role in the growth and success of The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. We are very proud of his accomplishments and happy to see him receive recognition for all his hard work."

Photo: Carey Pinkowski greets Catherine Ndereba on Oct. 7 after she broke the women's world record with a 2:18:47. (Julio Mora photo)

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