Hall of Fame
A math teacher and varsity basketball coach, Gary has served for 24 years in Indiana schools. He has earned seven “Coach of the Year” honors, was a recipient of the F.J. Egner Coaching Award and is listed in Outstanding Educators in America. He has served as a sponsor of a high school chapter of the Fellowship of Christians Athletes, a Sunday school teacher and a youth league softball and AAU girls’ basketball coach. As a student, Gary was four year basketball letterman, during which time he scored over 1,000 career points, was Tri-Captain, was named 2nd Team All District, earned the Mid-Ohio Conference C.L. Spaid Award and the NAIA Liston Award. Gary graduated summa cum laude in mathematics/psychology, received the Founders’ Son award, was a finalist in the Woodrow Wilson and Danforth Fellowship Competitions and was a Rhodes Scholar competition candidate. He held membership in the Student Senate, the Journalism Fraternity and the Student Christian Assn. Gary believes that “Organized athletics is one of the few remaining activities in our society where students can be stretched to excel beyond their ‘comfort zone’; giving them an opportunity to realize their enormous potential.” Gary and his wife, Ruth (Bittner ’67), have five children – Piper, Myka, Tanina, Kiley and Dayton.
