2019 Michigan football President Gerald R. Ford Lifetime Impact Award
The Inaugural recipient of the President Gerald R. Ford Lifetime Impact Award is Tom Maentz

A native of Holland, Michigan, Maentz was a standout end for the Michigan football team from 1954 through 1956. He earned second-team All-America honors in 1955 and third-team accolades m 1956. Playing both offense and defense as well as punter for the Wolverines. Maentz was captain of the 1956 team that finished second in the Big Ten. He earned All-Big Ten first team honors In1955 and second­ team honors in 1956. Maentz and teammate Ron Kramer formed a pass receiving duo known as the “touchdown twins” and became the first Michigan football players to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Maentz was Inducted in the athletic department’s Hall of Honor in 1994.

After graduation. Maentz embarked on a Business career in the State of Michigan. He worked for Keeler Brass in Grand Rapids before starting his own automotive sales firm in 1960. He ventured into automotive manufacturing in 1978, opening Thomas S. Maentz (TSM) Corporation in Birmingham, which has grown from 10 employees and four machines to a state-of-the-art manufacturing company with more than 200 machines and 180 employees. Tom was active in the business until his retirement in 2017.

In the community, Tom was a member of the Board of Directors at Beaumont Hospital. He has been a member of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Detroit, fundraised for Sigma Chi Fraternity and the First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, and has been active with many initiatives at the University of Michigan.

Tom is married to his college sweetheart, JoAnn Monger. They have three children and seven grandsons.

Following are the 2019 University of Michigan football team award winners:

Bo Schembechler MVP: Shea Patterson
Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Scholarship Award: Louis Grodman
Robert P. Ufer Bequest: Joseph Files
Roger Zatkoff Award: Jordan Glasgow
Richard Katcher Award: Kwity Paye, Aidan Hutchinson (co-recipients)
Hugh H. Rader Memorial Award: Ben Bredeson, Jon Runyan (co-recipients)

The above six are original team awards presented by the U-M Club of Greater Detroit

President Gerald R. Ford Lifetime Impact Award: Tom Maentz

Toughest Player Award: Ben Mason
Blue Collar Award: Jordan Glasgow
Rookie of the Year (Offense): Zach Charbonnet
Rookie of the Year (Defense): Daxton Hill
Rookie of the Year (Special Teams): Giles Jackson
Offensive Player of the Year: Nico Collins
Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Uche
Special Teams Player of the Year: Jared Davis
Offensive Skill Player of the Year: Ronnie Bell
Defensive Skill Player of the Year: Ambry Thomas
Most Improved Player (Offense): Hassan Haskins
Most Improved Player (Defense): Brad Hawkins
Most Improved Player (Special Teams): Peter Bush
Scout Team Player of the Year (Offense): Zach Carpenter
Scout Team Player of the Year (Defense): David Ojabo
Scout Team Player of the Year (Special Teams): Jared Davis

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