ISHPEMING, Mich. (Oct. 14) - The International Association of Sports Museums and Halls of Fame has named Ray Leverton, longtime manager and curator of the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, as the recipient of the 2005 W.R. "Bill" Schroeder Award, given in recognition of meritorious service to the sports museum and hall of fame community.

Leverton began volunteering on a temporary basis to help his father, who was caretaker of the Ski Hall of Fame when it opened in 1954; in 1970, he was named manager and curator of the facility. When he retired as an accountant for the Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad Co. in 1992; the City of Ishpeming honored him in 1992 as its Citizen of the Year for his unselfish efforts in helping the Ski Hall expand at its site on Route 41, the main artery for Michigan's renowned Upper Peninsula.

He retired a year ago but was the driving force last May in organizing the banquet and activities honoring the 100th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, the nation's governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboard.

"It's always a great honor to be recognized by your peers," said Tom Kelly, USSA vice president of marketing communications and a Ski Hall of Fame board member, "and it's especially satisfying to see the way the international association is honoring the relentless attention to detail shown by Ray in his years of volunteering for the Ski Hall. It's well-deserved."

Leverton is scheduled to receive the Schroeder Award at the IASMHF annual convention Oct. 19-21 in Calgary.