Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony This Sunday

On Sunday, January 1, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses will honor the Hall of Fame class of 2022 in a private event. 

Darryl Dunn, the former CEO of the Bose Bowl Operating Company is amongst the honorees which also include former Oregon and Penn State coach Hugo Bezdek, 1977 Rose Bowl Game MVP Vince Evans and 1987 All-American Lorenzo White. 

“The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to honor members of the Rose Bowl Game family who have contributed to the history and excitement of the Rose Bowl Game and those who embody the best of the passion, strength, tradition, and honor associated with The Granddaddy of Them All®. What was once only a dream of 1982 Tournament of Roses President Harold E. Coombes has become an annual tradition with over 100 inductees,” the event page read. 

Darryl Dunn

Darryl Dunn, who led the Rose Bowl Operating Company as CEO and General Manager for 23 years, will be inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Darryl Dunn spent 27 years working at the Rose Bowl Stadium, including the last 23 as the stadium’s CEO and General Manager of the Rose Bowl Operating Company (RBOC), the governmental instrument in the City of Pasadena which manages the stadium and the Brookside Golf Course.

Under Dunn’s leadership, America’s Stadium hosted countless concerts, international soccer matches, UCLA home football games, the Rose Bowl Game, College Football Championships and CFP Semifinals. Dunn also oversaw several stadium renovations, including the locker rooms and the Terry Donahue Pavilion. He helped establish the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars to fund additional stadium upgrades.

After leading the Rose Bowl Stadium through the pandemic, Dunn retired in July of 2022.

He will be inducted as a member of the Class of 2022 of the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.

“Retirement? I’m enjoying it. I’m staying busy,” Dunn told Pasadena Now in September after he retired. “One thing I do know is, certainly the Rose Bowl is still very close to my heart. And certainly I’m rooting for it hard and I’m very glad that it has had quite a bit of success in the past few months.”

As Rose Bowl CEO and general manager, Dunn was responsible for managing all aspects of the facility, including contract negotiations with prospective events, ongoing relationships with existing tenants, and all financial, marketing and operational needs for the stadium.

He was extensively involved in long-range planning for the facility and spearheaded the planning and execution of a $200 million renovation project for the historic facility beginning in 2011.

One of his biggest accomplishments was the establishment of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the stadium’s 501(c)3 non-profit fundraising arm, which he helped create in 2010. The Foundation was established to preserve, protect and enhance the stadium’s future within the Arroyo Seco by providing private funding to support improvements in the venue and surrounding areas.

As of early 2022, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation has raised more than $50 million to support the Rose Bowl.

“The Rose Bowl Stadium, Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and Brookside Golf Course are parts of my family that I care for deeply,” Dunn said in March on the day he announced his retirement. “I am so proud of our collective accomplishments over the years and how we have grown as a team and believe we have helped Pasadena significantly over the years.”

Dunn also oversaw the Stadium’s renovation centered on the Terry Donahue Pavilion, which has the Stadium’s press box and a premium seat tower encompassing 54 suites, 48 loge boxes and 1,200 club seats. The renovation was a multiyear project completed in 2016.

Dunn worked for the LA Lakers, LA Raiders, LA Clippers and the 1994 World Cup Organizing Committee before joining the RBOC.

With the addition of this year’s class, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame includes 140 inductees over its 33-year history. Inductees are honored with a permanent plaque that includes their name and year of induction at The Court of Champions at the Rose Bowl Stadium.