Bill Carollo To Receive 2018 Gold Whistle Award
MAC Coordinator of Football Officials, Bill Carollo, To Receive The 2018 Gold Whistle Award
NEW ORLEANS, La. — Bill Carollo, current Coordinator of Football Officials for the Collegiate Officiating Consortium and former NFL referee, will receive the 2018 Gold Whistle Award this evening, presented by the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO). The award, the highest honor in officiating, will be presented in New Orleans on Tuesday, July 31, during the Celebrate Officiating Gala, sponsored by Fox 40 International, which caps the 2018 Sports Officiating Summit.
Carollo has served as the Coordinator of Football Officials for the Collegiate Officiating Consortium since the 2009 season, which serves the Mid-American Conference, Big Ten Conference and Missouri Valley Conference. Carollo officiated in the NFL from 1989 to 2008, breaking in as a side judge before being promoted to referee in 1997. He was on the field for Super Bowls XXX and XXXVII. From 2000 to 2006, he was director of the NFL Referees Association.
“Bill officiated football and basketball at the Division I level, ultimately becoming an NFL official and serving as the referee in two Super Bowl games,” said MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. “Bill has served as our Coordinator of Officials for our officiating consortium for 10 years and has improved the quality and professionalism of football officiating not only in the MAC but across all of college football. Congratulations to Bill on being awarded officiating’s highest honor.”
A native of Shorewood, Wis., Carollo earned one of the last full scholarships for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee football program, where he was quarterback for the Panthers between 1970-73. Carollo graduated with a Business Administration degree in 1974 with a focus on industrial relations. He also completed several advanced Business Management Programs through IBM’s continued education programs at the Harvard Business School and the London School of Business. Carollo was Vice President and General Manager in Global Sales for Manpower from 2004 to 2009. Carollo joined the company after spending 30 years at IMB as an Information Technology executive leading sales and marketing for IBM’s largest global clients.
“My current position allows me to help give back to officiating, to try and make a bigger dent in the second half of my career. I came to the realization that I could do more to help officiating by coming off the field,” said Carollo. “I try to look at the big picture and now if I help create opportunities for 10, 25 or 100 more people in officiating, then I’m doing something. I’m helping make officiating cool and a respected profession.”
Carollo remains active in a variety of youth, community and charitable organizations throughout the Milwaukee area and around the country, including involvement with the Children’s Hospital of Milwaukee, Special Olympics, Make a Wish Foundation and NFL Charities. He currently resides in Shorewood, Wis., with his wife, Mo, and four children.
NASO President Barry Mano said Carollo’s “influence and fingerprints are on so many organizations, leagues and conferences. But well beyond that and more importantly actually is the fact that Bill has personally helped so many officials have wonderful careers, and at many levels.”
The Gold Whistle Award is presented annually by NASO. Those considered are individuals or groups that have made significant contributions to the betterment of officiating, exhibit a high degree of integrity and ethics and other qualities that are held in high regard by the industry. Candidates must have a consistent record of presenting officiating in a positive light as well as exhibiting a “service above self” attitude. Public service to officiating, having a motivating effect on others and/or strong community involvement are considered.
Carollo continues a recent trend of MAC officials being honored by the NASO with the Gold Whistle Award. Current MAC Coordinator of Volleyball Coordinator of Officials, Maria Alterman received this honor in 2015, while retired Central Michigan administrator, Marcy Weston, received the honor in 2008.
