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Longtime Philanthropist and Executive to head 2025 Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards
The American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives, is proud to announce that George Lindahl III, a renowned leader in the petroleum industry who has spent the past 20 years focused on transforming lives through philanthropy, has been appointed chair of the upcoming 2025 Paul “Bear” Bryant” Awards ceremony presented by Marathon Oil.

Now in their 39th year, the American Heart Association Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards were created in collaboration with the Bryant family to preserve the Bear Bryant legacy by recognizing coaches who embody his example of leadership and character while raising awareness and critical funds for scientific research to eliminate needless suffering and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke, the leading causes of death globally. The football coaching legend died from a heart attack in 1983.
Kellie Armstrong, American Heart Association Executive Director of Development and Community Health for the Houston Gulf Coast region was selected to oversee the Houston metropolitan market, which is home to the annual Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards. “As the team was discussing potential chairs for the event, I instantly thought of my friend George,” said Armstrong. “Most everyone knows George’s passion for Angel Reach and serving kids who age out of the foster care system.”

From the beginning of their friendship 20 years ago, Armstrong and Lindahl were kindred spirits in their desire to serve. Prior to her time with the American Heart Association, Armstrong worked in a variety of roles in service of child welfare, including serving as a national consultant and expert on domestic minor sex trafficking. She developed the first clinical model for the first safe house and treatment facility in Texas, and secured the funds for the startup.
After witnessing Lindahl’s passion and leadership first hand, Armstrong knew that Lindahl would be a natural fit to work with the Bryant Awards.
“In discussions with Steven Embree (Executive Director of the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards), I shared George’s history and how he was the ideal person to chair the event,” said Armstrong. “George is a proven leader in the petroleum industry, and has used his leadership skills over the last 20 years to create transformational change in the lives of so many through his charitable contributions and his selfless service.”
While through his professional career, Lindahl’s life priorities were “success, success, success,” in his meaningful second act, it is a new definition of success that drives him – his mantra, “the real joy in life is helping someone else.”
After experiencing unparallelled success in the professional realm, the joy that he has found in serving what he calls the 5 L’s – people in our society who are lonely, lost, looked over, least, and last – has provided Lindahl with so much more.
No stranger to the Bryant legacy, Lindahl had a front row seat to the coaching legend’s early years at the University of Alabama. Lindahl attended Alabama from 1964-68, and received his bachelor’s degree in geology. An avid college football fan and follower of the Crimson Tide, Lindahl has attended 12 national championship games – ten of which were won by Alabama.
The 2025 Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards event is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, January 22 at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas. In addition to the Coach of the Year, the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards will also present Conference Coach of the Year Awards from each of the Power Four collegiate athletic conferences (Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, and Southeastern Conference) and one from the combined Group of Five conferences (American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference and Sun Belt Conference), Pac-12 Conference, and Division I Independents.
As previously announced, Grant Teaff, the legendary former Baylor University and American Football Coaches Association Executive Director, and Mark Richt, former University of Georgia and University of Miami head coach, will also be recognized at this year’s awards event. Coach Teaff will receive the 2025 Paul “Bear” Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, and Coach Richt will receive the 2025 Heart of a Champion Award presented by St. Luke’s Health in Houston.
Marathon Oil Corporation, an independent exploration and production company based in Houston, has served as the presenting sponsor of the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards for more than a decade, underscoring the company’s commitment to health and wellness and supporting initiatives that promote the well-being of workers and their families in the communities where it operates. Fans can follow the action at facebook.com/bryantawards, twitter.com/bryantawards or Instagram.com/bryantawards or the hashtag #BryantAwards. To attend the exclusive, VIP experience visit bryantawards.org or contact Alexxa Newman, development manager at Alexxa.Newman@heart.org. To become involved locally with the American Heart Association, reach out to Lisa Fenley, Senior Development Manager of Montgomery and North Harris counties at Lisa.Fenley@heart.org.
Source: American Heart Association
