Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Rotary Announce Service Above Self Honorees

SPRINGFIELD — The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Rotary Club of Springfield have announced the honorees for the Westfield Bank 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame Rotary Service Above Self Luncheon, taking place Thursday, Dec. 12 at noon on Center Court of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Tickets to the event are available to purchase at $90 each, and sponsorship opportunities for the luncheon are still available. For more information on sponsorships or to purchase tickets to the luncheon, contact Chelsea Johnson at (413) 231-5513 or [email protected].

This year’s honorees are well-known local residents John Sjoberg and Brenda Garton Sjoberg. John is president and CEO of NEBM, a regional provider and servicer of office business machines, and Brenda is a Communications professor at Western New England University and former TV news personality. The national honoree is Allan Houston, former New York Knick and founder of the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation.

John and Brenda’s community involvement is vast, and includes co-chairing the Jingle Bell Run to support the Special Olympics and the Gift of Light Ceremony at Mercy Medical Center, of which John was past board chairman. They have also been directly involved with the Ronald McDonald House, Sisters of Providence, Link to Libraries, Spirit of Springfield (of which John is currently chairman of the board), and many other organizations.

Houston and his foundation promote youth mentoring and responsible fatherhood, with a focus on entrepreneurship and career development. He has also developed the Allan Houston Mentoring Initiative and Father Knows Best basketball retreats through his foundation.

“Many notable individuals from the Western Mass. community and the sports world have been recognized at the Basketball Hall of Fame Service Above Self Luncheons throughout the years,” said Frank Colaccino, CEO of the Colvest Group and chairperson of the Basketball Hall of Fame/Rotary Service Above Self Award Luncheon committee. “Our honorees have generously served our communities with heartfelt passion without expectation of personal recognition.”

Oscar Mena De Leon, president of the Springfield Rotary Club, added that “the Rotary International Club of Springfield is pleased to celebrate and honor the tireless dedication of John Sjoberg, Brenda Garton, and Allan Houston. Rotary believes that ‘we are better together.’ The Rotary Club of Springfield’s motto has been Service Above Self for the last 110 years. The remarkable leadership that these honorees continually exhibit makes a significant impact on the communities they serve with absolute passion. This recognition also underscores the saying: ‘if not us, then who?’ Please join us in honoring them for their service.”