CACC BOARD MEMBERS celebrate RON RIVERA’s HOF INDUCTION

On October 15, Ron Rivera was inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame.  Chicago Cal alums and members of the Cal Alumni Club of Chicago, Bill Hall’75, Leslie Behnke’77, Nelson Lin ‘84, Greg Huhn ‘89, Kevin Sitek ‘11 and Jason Shan ’19, were honored to celebrate the occasion with Ron and his wife Stephanie.

Bill Hall mentioned, “After graduation I was living in the Bay Area and got to see Ron play his all-American collegiate career at Cal from 1981-83.  My wife Leslie Behnke and  I later moved to  Chicago in the mid-eighties and were incredibly proud to witness our fellow Cal Bear and later Chicago Bear win the Superbowl.” 

Later that evening Leslie Behnke commented, “Ron exemplifies a lifetime of excellence and leadership.  We are thrilled as fellow Cal alums to support Ron here in Chicago tonight as he receives this well-deserved award.” 

Before the ceremony, Cal Alumni Club of Chicago gifted Ron with a poster of Ron in his Cal Bear and Chicago Bear uniform which read:

Ron Rivera: Two Bears-One Legacy
Congratulations - Chicago Sports Hall of Fame 2026.

 A big note of gratitude to Tim McLaughlin and  Cal Athletics for  sponsoring the Cal table at the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. 

In addition to an all-American football career at Cal (1981-83), Ron was drafted in 1984 to the Chicago Bears where he spent all nine seasons of his NFL career including the 1985 Super Bowl XX Chicago championship season.  Ron went on to serve as NFL  head coach for the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers.  He is currently Athletic Director and General Manager for the Cal Football program.