Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna has spent the last 35 years as a college hockey administrator, including the last 20 years with Hockey East, after serving in a similar capacity with the Eastern College Athletic Conference for 15 years. He is the longest serving commissioner in Hockey East history and is currently the longest serving hockey commissioner in the NCAA.

During his tenure with Hockey East, Bertagna has engineered national television deals and delivered many high profile special events, including the first outdoor college hockey games in the east at Fenway Park in 2010. His contributions to the Women’s Hockey East Association were recognized when the championship trophy was named after him.

Nationally, Bertagna has been the executive director of the American Hockey Coaches Association since 1991 and has played a vital role in the growth of AHCA membership.

Bertagna has been actively involved with USA Hockey for several years, serving on the board of directors and various committees and councils.

He has also contributed to the Hockey Commissioners Association, the formation of College Hockey, Inc., and operated goalie clinics throughout New England since 1974.

A native of Arlington, Massachusetts, he began his professional coaching career in 1985 with the Boston Bruins, and was also part of the coaching staffs of the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 1991 Canada Cup, the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team at the 1994 Olympic Winter Games, and with the Milwaukee Admirals from 1994-96.

Bertagna enjoyed a brief college coaching career at Harvard University in the late 1970s, serving as men’s junior varsity coach in 1976-77 and launching Harvard’s women’s ice hockey program in 1977-78. He served as head coach of Harvard women’s hockey for two seasons.

He was a goaltender at Harvard University before playing professionally for the Milwaukee Admirals and in Cortina, Italy, leading his club to the 1975 championship.

Bertagna, who has authored a number of books on hockey, resides in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with his wife, Kathy, and their three children: Bobby, Joey and Grace.

The Distinguished Achievement Award is presented to a U.S. citizen who has made hockey his or her profession and has made outstanding contributions on or off the ice to the sport in the United States.