DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College has announced that current National Football League official, Gary Arthur, will be the honorary guest speaker at its 38th-Annual Student-Athlete Honors Banquet on May 1. The event is hosted by the Purple and Gold Club and held at the Karl H. Weaner Community Center at 6:00 pm.

Arthur began officiating football games in 1975 and worked five high school state title games over 12 years, before transitioning to NCAA Division III contests in 1982. Arthur then made the jump to the Division I level for the 1988 season, where he covered the 1988 Peach Bowl, the 1994 Las Vegas Bowl and the 1996 Orange Bowl and worked games in the Mid-American and Big Ten conferences.

Following his Orange Bowl appearance in 1996, Arthur started his NFL career in 1997 as a line judge. In the 15 years since, Arthur has worked 14 playoff games that include the NFL’s National Football Conference championship game in 2003 and the American Football Conference title games in 2005, 2008 and 2010.

The banquet is open to the general public, as well as to all Defiance College student-athletes, faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Michelle Trubey at 419-783-2342, or via email at mtrubey@defiance.edu and by going to www.dcpurpleandgoldclub.com.

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