Ronald Roberts (ice hockey executive)
{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey executive and international insurance executive}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ronald Roberts
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1925|6|1}}
| birth_place = Campbellville, Ontario, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|2012|7|4|1925|6|1}}
| death_place = Frisco, Texas, United States
| occupation = National Hockey League and World Hockey Association executive
| alma_mater = University of Michigan
}}
Ronald Roberts (June 1, 1925 – July 4, 2012) was a Canadian ice hockey executive and international insurance executive.{{cite web |url=https://www.milton.ca/en/townhall/resources/WalkofFame_Feb2014.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2016-04-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112175517/https://www.milton.ca/en/townhall/resources/WalkofFame_Feb2014.pdf |archivedate=2016-01-12 }}
A native of Campbellville, Ontario, Roberts served as executive director and general counsel of the World Hockey Players Association, negotiating more than 100 contracts for professional hockey players and coaches in the WHA and, later, the National Hockey League.
Roberts represented WHA players in negotiations for the 1974 Summit Series between Canada and the USSR. He also served on the board of directors of Hockey Canada.{{cite web|url=http://miltonhistoricalsociety.ca/documents/journal_archive/2013.pdf |title=March 2013 |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2020-03-09}}
Early life
Roberts was born in Campbellville, Ontario, in 1925 to Charles and Rachel (Sam) Roberts. He went to SS #10 Nassagaweya Public School and later Milton District High School.{{cite news|title=Obituary|url=http://necrologie.genealogiequebec.com/avis-de-deces/1143652-ROBERTS-Ronald|accessdate=28 April 2016|publisher=Globe and Mail|date=2012-07-07}}
Roberts, a World War II veteran who served from 1943 to 1945 with the Royal Canadian Air Force, earned degrees in business administration and law from the University of Michigan.{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theglobeandmail/obituary.aspx?n=ronald-roberts&pid=189958412 |title=Ronald ROBERTS Obituary - Toronto, ON | The Globe and Mail |publisher=Legacy.com |date= |accessdate=2020-03-09}}
Athletic career
Roberts played hockey in Milton while in high school, and he played hockey for Milton Merchants. He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings to join their Jr. A farm team, the Galt Red Wings, and later played for the University of Michigan Wolverines hockey team and Scotland’s Dundee Tigers.
Insurance career
Roberts served as chairman of the board, president and other high-profile executive roles with the American Insurance Association, representing 150 member insurance companies, during a 25-year career in the insurance and finance industries in the United States in Illinois and Texas.{{cn|date=January 2020}}
Roberts was a member of the Illinois and Chicago Bar Association; American, Texas & Dallas Bar Association and College of the State Bar of Texas.{{cite news|title=Obituary|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?pid=158411809|accessdate=28 April 2016|publisher=Dallas Morning News|date=July 7, 2012}}
Later life
Roberts died on July 4, 2012, in Frisco, Texas.
Awards
Roberts was inducted into the Milton Walk of Fame in 2014 posthumously.
References
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Category:Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey players