BURLINGTON, Vt. - Joe Lamb '78—University of Vermont alumnus, former Olympian, and Lake Placid, New York businessman—has made the largest single gift ever to the UVM Ski Team. The $400,000 gift established the Joe and Nash Lamb Skiing Fund, a permanently endowed fund that will provide support for the program every year, in perpetuity. In establishing the fund, Lamb honors not only his own legacy on the team and at UVM, but also that of his uncle, Nash Lamb '65.
 
"I owe the UVM Ski Program a tremendous amount, and I feel fortunate that I was in a position to make this gift." said Lamb. "Given the team's strong performances in recent seasons, this year seemed to be the right time to commemorate my family's legacy with the program. I look forward to following the individual and team successes for years to come." 
 
"On behalf of the University of Vermont Ski Team, I want express my utmost gratitude to Joe for making this magnificent investment in our program. We are hungry for more national championships, and this gift will be a huge boost as our student-athletes and coaches pursue that goal year after year," said Director of Skiing Bill Reichelt.
 
Joe Lamb has been a key supporter of UVM Skiing since he first joined the team in 1974, following in his uncle's footsteps.
 
After graduating from UVM, Joe went on to have a remarkable career in the field of skiing. He coached for UVM and then for the U.S. Olympic Team in the Sarajevo games (1984). Starting in 1991, he served as a U.S. Ski & Snowboard representative to the International Ski Federation (FIS). Over the next 20-plus years, his achievements were recognized by USSA with the highest honors, including the Bud and Mary Little Award, two Al Merrill Nordic Awards, the Westhaven Award, and the Julius Blegen Award. When he retired from his position as Vice Chair of the FIS Nordic Combined Committee, the FIS Council awarded him with Honorary Committee Member Status. Joe was inducted into the University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996. (More information about Joe's career can be found on the UVM Athletic Hall of Fame website.)
 
Nash Lamb skied as a Class A alpine competitor for UVM from 1961 through 1965, when he graduated.  During that time he competed in downhill, cross country, slalom, and jumping.  Following graduation, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Vietnam as a medical "dustoff" evacuation helicopter pilot, earning numerous awards, air medals, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.  Upon completion of his military service, he attended law school and continued his career as a practicing attorney in Texas and Oklahoma, where he now resides.
 
"I am so grateful to Joe for this important gift," said Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman '89. "Our Ski Team has helped launch the careers of many student-athletes, and it's deeply gratifying to have such a notable graduate return and re-invest so generously in the long-term success of the program.  Donors like Joe play a huge role in ensuring the competitive excellence of our student-athletes, coaches, and teams."
 
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Fundraising for UVM Athletics is a major focus for the University of Vermont Foundation, a nonprofit corporation established to secure and manage private support for the benefit of the University of Vermont. To inquire about making a gift to UVM Athletics, please contact Chris Bernier at chris.bernier@uvm.edu. More information about the impact of donors and the work of the UVM Foundation can be found at www.uvmfoundation.org.