Robert Ridder

Robert Blair Ridder (July 21, 1919 – June 24, 2000) was an American ice hockey administrator, media businessman, and philanthropist.

He was a director in the Knight Ridder media company which controlled several television and radio stations, and newspapers in Minnesota.

[1][5] Ridder called a meeting in Saint Paul in October 1947, and founded what became the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA).

[1][5] He was the manager of the American team in Oslo at the 1952 Winter Olympics, which resulted in a silver medal and a second place finish behind Canada.

He returned to manage the American team in Cortina d'Ampezzo at the 1956 Winter Olympics, which resulted in another silver medal and a second-place behind the Soviet Union.

[2][10] He received the Lester Patrick Trophy during the 1993–94 NHL season, in recognition of his contribution to ice hockey in the United States.

[13][20] The University of Minnesota awards the "Kathleen C. and Robert B. Ridder Scholarship" annually to a student athlete on the Golden Gophers women's ice hockey team.