Gerald L. Massa (2016) - Hall of Fame - Brown University Athletics

Gerald L. Massa

Induction:
2016
Class:
1977

One of Brown University athletics’ and Brown football’s most ardent supporters, Jerry Massa ’77 currently serves as President of the Brown Football Association (BFA) and as Treasurer, chair of the football selection committee and past president of the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame. He also represents Brown as trustee of the Ivy Football Association. His success in football and lacrosse at Jamesville-DeWitt High School, DeWitt, New York, led him to Brown, where he competed in both sports and was President of Delta Tau Fraternity.

As BFA President, Jerry supports the great tradition of Brown football, fundraising for annual use and non-budgeted special projects. He co-founded the BFA Golf Classic which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016 and has been credited with raising significant funds for program enhancements. In 2015, Jerry initiated a BFA sub-committee which has been instrumental in the success of the fundraising campaign for the Berylson Football Complex. He has overseen various initiatives including the BFA mentoring and career counseling programs which are high priorities of Brown football. Community projects include the literacy collaborative with Providence schools which promotes reading and writing and Military Appreciation Day which honors all branches of the Armed Forces.

Jerry played a pivotal role as the BFA launched the first night game in the history of Brown football when the Bears defeated Harvard, 29-14, on September 26, 2010, before an announced crowd of over 17,000. It was truly a University event as 4,700 of the 5,600 students on campus attended.

Jerry’s contributions have earned him praise on numerous occasions. In 1991 he won the Brown Football Association’s Andrew J. Joslin ’65 Award which recognizes outstanding contributions to Brown Football and is the Association’s only alumni service award. In 2003 he earned the Brown Sports Foundation-John “Jay” Berry ’50 Award given annually to a person whose efforts and energies on behalf of the football program have enhanced the success of the team. He has been credited for his contributions to Ever True: The History of Brown Football and The Magnificent Andersons, the story of Brown’s first Ivy football championship in 1976.

In support of Jerry’s nomination for the Maddock Award, Head Coach Phil Estes wrote in part, “Jerry has been the single most important person for the success of Brown Football. He does it for the love of Brown. It’s easy to say you want to win a championship but it’s a whole other thing to put in the blood, sweat and tears to pursue a championship. Jerry has surrendered his destiny to Brown Athletics and is positively affecting the lives of hundreds of young men.”

An accomplished investment professional for over thirty years, Jerry has been appointed to numerous governmental and charitable boards. He has served The Veterans Memorial Foundation, RI Convention Center Authority, Providence Economic Development Partnership and Justice Assistance.