Schools

49ers' Jed York is Menlo College's Commencement Speaker

The 32-year-old CEO's appearance on May 11 brings full circle the team's 'special relationship' with the college from the franchise's early days.

 

Menlo College has announced that San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York will deliver the commencement speech to the Class of 2013.

“Menlo College’s ties to the 49ers go way back to when Buck Shaw and the team held their summer training camps on Menlo's campus from 1946 through 1954," said Menlo College's president James J. Kelley, in the announcement on the college's website.

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"We  are honored that Jed York ... will speak to our graduates on this special occasion," Kelley said, calling him a "sports visionary."

Menlo College was also the site of the 49ers' regular-season practices from 1950 to 1954, according to the college.

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“In those days, the 49ers' practices were quite open, and we shared facilities, so we were thrilled when players like John Henry Johnson would give our players playing tips," said Chuck Shea, Menlo College alumnus who was quoted in the announcement.

York has been CEO of the 49ers for three years. The team biography ticks off how busy he was in that short time: He promoted Trent Baalke to General Manager, hired Jim Harbaugh to be head coach and the 49ers were back in the playoffs after a ten-season hiatus. York also spearheaded a successful ballot measure for the first LEED-certified NFL stadium in 2010, secured financing in 2011 and obtained $200 million in NFL support for the Santa Clara stadium in February 2012.  York graduated from Notre Dame with degrees in Finance & History.


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