LARRY COOK, BILL SUPPER TO BE HONORED BY IBPSIA

Two men whose names will forever be associated with the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association — Larry Cook and Bill Supper — have been selected to receive major IBPSIA awards for 2021.

Cook, one of the founding members of the association, will receive the IBPSIA President’s Award, and Supper, the long-serving and recently retired Executive Director of IBPSIA, will receive the Bill Bunetta Lighthouse Award.

Cook was selected by IBPSIA President Dwyane Da Moude based on the critical role he played in the development of the association in 1990. Cook, who ran a successful pro shop and trophy supply company, got the idea for what would become the International Bowling Pro Shop Association after attending seminars conducted by the Trophy Dealers and Manufacturers Association. The “I” was added to the IBPSA name three years later when instructors became eligible to join the association.

Supper was involved in the early stages of the association as well, as he urged his employer at the time, Ebonite International, to provide much-needed funding assistance. Later, he would serve two stints as IBPSIA Executive Director, concluding his second when he retired at the end of 2020.

The Lighthouse Award is named for Bill Bunetta, a member of the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame and a respected coach. He conducted countless instructional clinics and exhibitions, and is credited with developing the innovative “3-6-9” spare-shooting system. The award is presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the pro shop industry.

The awards will be presented during the 2021 IBPSIA Bowling Tournament at Executive Strike and Spare in Louisville, Ky., on June 21. The IBPSIA tournament and Pro Shop Convention are being held in conjunction with BPAA’s International Bowl Expo.

Because the 2020 IBPSIA gathering was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the association’s 2020 awards also will be presented in Louisville: President’s Award, David Bolt; Bill Bunetta Lighthouse Award, Lori Mraz; Business Excellence Award, Christopher Petrie; and Friends of IBPSIA Award, Bowltech.

For further information on the 2021 IBPSIA Pro Shop Convention, visit ibpsia.com.