Lightning Owner JEFF VINIK is investing $12M in Dreamit, an "early-stage venture fund and startup accelerator." The company was created in '08 and has offices in N.Y. and Philadelphia, with one coming to Tampa in the "foreseeable future." Vinik will "become a partner in the company" and a member of Dreamit’s BOD. Dreamit "works with startups in two fields: health care and urban tech approaches to real estate." Vinik said that more "could be coming" ( TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/20 ).
GETTING INVOLVED : Actress ASHLEY JUDD will "deliver the keynote address" at the LPGA ANA Inspiration’s ANA Inspiring Women in Sports conference March 27 at Mission Hills Country Club in the Coachella Valley. Panelists at the conference include USWNT F CARLI LLOYD , Ellevest co-Founder & CEO SALLIE KRAWCHECK , U.S. women's hockey F JOCELYNE LAMOUREUX-DAVIDSON and D MONIQUE LAMOUREUX-MORANDO ( Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 3/20 ). Meanwhile, the LPGA Kia Classic will host the Women's Leadership Luncheon on Thursday ahead of the tournament in Carlsbad, Calif. San Diego-based Advanced Marketing Strategies Founder & President KATHY CUNNINGHAM will moderate the event ( Kia ).
GIVING BACK : Bucks G MALCOLM BROGDON while he rehabs from an injury has been supporting nonprofit PureMadi, which "helps develop ceramic water filters for people in South Africa who need clean water." Brogdon has also supported Eagles DE CHRIS LONG 's Waterboys clean water project. Brogdon said, “People need help. PureMadi was a perfect gateway for me to be involved.” Brogdon "hopes to accompany Long to South Africa to see the efforts of the programs" after the NBA season ( MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/19 ).... STEPHEN CURRY is partnering with Dream On 3, a nonprofit that helps children with chronic illnesses, to send Charlotte-native JONATHAN PAGE , 7, to Friday's Warriors-Hawks game. Page, who suffers from methylmalonic acidemia, and his family will "visit an amusement park and other attractions throughout the week" before meeting Curry ahead of the game ( CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/20 ).
NAMES : The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will honor IMG Media Exec VP BARRY FRANK with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Sports on May 8 at the 39th Sports Emmy Awards ( NATAS )....Media company PlayersVoice “has raised” an estimated $4M from investors including tennis player NICK KRYGIOS . The Series A round “will fund an overseas expansion” for PlayersVoice, which “launched last September as an athlete direct publishing platform, and comes as the company clinches a content share deal” with Fox Sports ( AFR.com, 3/18 )....Former NFL Exec VP/Communications JOE LOCKHART has joined CNN as a political commentator ( CNN.com, 3/20 )....Retired tennis player ANA IVANOVIC has “given birth to her first child.” Ivanovic and her husband, Fire M BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER , named their son LUKA ( TENNIS.com, 3/19 )....NFL Draft prospect SAQUON BARKLEY was “spotted with his parents,” as well as Roc Nation Sports agent KIM MIALE and Berk Communications President & CEO RON BERKOWITZ , at the Ainsworth in N.Y. last week to “catch some March Madness action” ( NYPOST.com, 3/19 ).
IN MEMORY : Former NHLer LARRY KWONG , who was the first person of Asian descent to play in the league, died at 94 ( NYDAILYNEWS.com, 3/20 ).
