Texas Southern University on Saturday presented Vikings Chief Operating Officer Kevin Warren with the inaugural Texas Southern University Pioneer Award.
Washington Redskins Sr. Vice President of Communications Tony Wylie, an alumnus of Texas Southern University, presented Warren with the award on Saturday in the George Bush Ballroom of Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center on the eve of Super Bowl LI.
Warren was promoted to Vikings COO in February 2015 and is the highest ranking African American on the business side of an NFL team. The 2017 season will be Warren's 19th in the NFL and 13th with the Vikings. It also will culminate with Minnesota and U.S. Bank Stadium hosting Super Bowl LII on year from today.
"I am honored and humbled to receive the inaugural Texas Southern University Pioneer Award," Warren said. "I am keenly aware of the sacrifices others made before me to give me the opportunity to work and excel in the National Football League. This award is extra special for its affiliation with Texas Southern University – a University with graduates who have contributed immensely to Texas and the United States in all fields, including law, medicine, music, politics, sports and education. I will do my best to honor Texas Southern University and this award on a daily basis and continue to work hard in the National Football League, for the Vikings, for my family and for my community."
Proceeds from the Texas Southern University Pioneer Award reception will benefit Texas Southern University's Graduation Success Scholarship fund (a 501 (c) (3)). This fund assists students who are in their final semester of class work to graduate. This will be an annual award that will take place Super Bowl weekend in each respective host city.
"Kevin is deserving of this award," Wylie said. "His promotion as the highest ranking African American National Football League team executive is a testament to his talents and work ethic that he has displayed throughout his 19-year NFL career. The fact that my alma mater, Texas Southern University, is benefitting from Kevin's success makes this award extra special."
"We are grateful that Tony Wyllie, a proud Texas Southern University alumnus, was instrumental in bringing this award to Texas Southern," said TSU President Austin Lane. On behalf of the TSU family I would like to congratulate Kevin for the excellent example he has set for our students to model themselves after. We know that our students will benefit greatly from this annual award."
Entertainment will be provided by the world-renowned TSU Jazz Ensemble.
