• Mike Connor - 2008

Connor was born in Cresco, Iowa, and graduated from high school in Winthrop, Iowa. He served in the United States Air Force from 1965 – 1969, and worked with electronics in the early warning radar system. Following his military service, Connor and his family settled in Somerset and he began his civilian career with AT&T, eventually working his way up to National Service Manager before retiring in 1997.

Though his youth hockey experience was limited to playing on the pond, Connor more than made up for that in his adult life, as he went on to a lifetime of service to the game. Connor became involved with Somerset youth hockey in its first year of existence, and went on to become its president. With his election to the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association Board of Directors, Connor left the Somerset board, but continued to serve his local association continuously in a volunteer capacity. In 1986, he helped begin the campaign to bring WIAA hockey to Somerset, a campaign that would involve two years of work. With the launch of the WIAA varsity high school team, he and others realized that this team would need to practice outside and play their home games in other communities. Along with other community members from Somerset, Connor was instrumental in raising money and support to erect the Somerset Arena, and thus gave its new high school team, and its youth program an indoor home. He served on the Civic Center Board that helped open and run the arena in its first few years of existence.

Connor has put in countless hours of service to WAHA, USA Hockey and USA Hockey Central District since his election to the WAHA Board in the mid-1980s. He has also served as a board member of the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame since the mid-1990s. In his role as a WAHA Regional Director, Connor has had a hand in guiding local programs as they have been born, grown and prospered. He has served as WAHA 1st Vice President in charge of the High School Club level and guided it through transitions resultant from the growing number of WIAA high school teams in the state. As the Assistant State Coaching Director, Connor has helped organize coaching clinics across the state, and put in countless hours attending many of those clinics each year. Along with that, Connor has been the true “go-to guy” for solving problems with coaching clinics and coaching registrations. He has helped organize and conduct tryouts and festivals for the WAHA Bantam and Midget Elite, and WAHA Girls Elite programs. Connor was the Team Leader for the WAHA 19/U Girls team that won the bronze medal at the USA International Hockey Cup in 2000 in Blaine, Minn. Connor was also the Team Leader for the USA Hockey Central District Select 15s and 16s at national festivals beginning in 1999, and was also a member of the USA Central District Select 16 Festival Evaluation Team. Connor was the driving force behind the founding of the before and after Team Wisconsin and was the first General Manager for the Midget Major Team, a team that won the National Championship in 2002. Numerous Team Wisconsin players would go on to stellar collegiate careers at both the NCAA Division 1 and Division 3 levels, with many of these players drafted into the professional ranks. Beginning in 2002, Connor helped forge the first ever prep high school league that would bring together the very best high school players from Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. High school hockey has benefited by Connor’s continuing service on USA Hockey’s High School Section for several years.

In addition to all that Connor has done for hockey, he has continuously served for many years in two other capacities. In 1988, he was elected to and continues to serve as a member of the Somerset Board of Education. Since 1972, Connor has been a member of the American Legion, and has served that organization by taking charge of all parades and funerals. Though many would have him serve also as Post Commander, his service on the Board of Education has prevented him from doing so.

Connor and his wife Barb have three children, Shane, Brian and Shelly.