The University of Louisville Has Announced That John Schnatter Has Been Named the 2008

The University of Louisville has announced that John and Annette Schnatter has been named the 2008 recipients of the Hickman-Camp award, the highest award the athletic department bestows.

“This is quite an honor,” John Schnatter said. “We’ve been so proud to be apart of this community. To be apart of this football stadium just means the world to Annette and I. We’ve had so much fun. To receive this award is so much of an honor.”

John, the founder of the Louisville-based Papa John’s Pizza company, committed $10 million towards the expansion of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, home of the U of L football program, last August. The gift was the largest ever given to the U of L Athletic Department and brings the total support given by Papa Johns and the Schnatters to $20 million over the last 10 years.

“I don’t know if the facilities would ever be the same if it wasn’t for (their) generosity here at the University of Louisville,” U of L men’s basketball head coach Rick Pitino said. “So many student-athletes, so many coaches, all of us have benefited from everything they has given this university.”

John was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana, where he began working in the pizza business as a high school student at a local pizza pub. He graduated from Ball State University in 1983, and by 1984, he had began his own pizza company out of the kitchen in his father’s bar. The customer’s loved his pizza, and by 1985, the first Papa John’s restaurant was opened.

Today, there are almost 3,000 Papa John’s restaurants worldwide.

John founded not only a great company but has been a really wonderful supporter of Louisville, and particularly, the Cardinals,” Papa John’s CEO Nigel Travis said. “I’m delighted John is winning this award. I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more. He has really set a leadership tone for our company, our community and for all of us.”

The Hickman-Camp award, which is named after former U of L men’s basketball head coach Benard “Peck” Hickman and former U of L football coach Frank Camp, has been given annually by U of L since 1986. Its recipients are those who have provided special leadership in support of Cardinal Athletics. The recipients also are acknowledged for exemplary leadership, loyalty and dedication in assisting the development and advancement of the athletic department.

Past winners include Benard and Jean Trager, Sam and Barbara Swope and Tom Musselman.