RALEIGH, NC – As part of its 75th Anniversary Gala on Friday, USA Hockey will honor Carolina Hurricanes Owner/Chief Executive Officer Peter Karmanos, Jr., with the 2012 Distinguished Achievement Award.

The USA Hockey Distinguished Achievement Award was created in 1991 and is presented annually to a United States citizen(s) who has made hockey his or her profession and has made outstanding contributions, on or off the ice, to the sport in America. Past winners include Hockey Hall of Famer Brett Hull (2003), The 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team (2005), the NHL’s first black player Willie O’Ree (2008) and current Toronto Maple Leafs President & General Manager Brian Burke (2010).

The 75th Anniversary Gala is being held in conjunction with the USA Hockey 2012 Annual Congress, and will take place at the Broadmoor International Center in Colorado Springs, CO. Please click here for information on the Gala and the Annual Congress on USA Hockey’s web site