Harold Simonsen, Shari Stauch Inducted into WPBA Hall of Fame

Harold Simonsen and Shari Stauch were inducted into the Women's Professional Billiard Association Hall of Fame on November 7, 2007, at the WPBA annual awards banquet on the eve of the Cuetec Cues Tour Championship at Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City, Oregon. Simonsen and Stauch are the founders and owners of Pool and Billiard Magazine.


“It is so fitting that these two people who were instrumental in forming Classic Tour be elected to join the illustrious list of prior inductees into the WPBA Hall of Fame,” said Belinda Calhoun, herself a Hall of Fame member. “So much of the success we see today is a direct result of their tireless efforts, sacrifice, and resolve for advancing our sport. The contributions made by Harold and Shari help provide us all the opportunity to pursue our goals and our passion.”

Shari Stauch served as Secretary to the WPBA for seven years from 1989 to 1995, launched the WPBA's PR program, assisted in the launch of the Classic Tour and negotiated the tour's first ESPN coverage. She was the Secretary General of the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) and in 1998 served as the Pubic Relations Manager for the World Confederation of Billiard. From 1990 to 1995, Shari served on the board of directors of the Billiard Congress of America, chaired the BCA's Long Range Planning Committee, and from 1994 to 1995 became the founding president of the BCA's Billiard Education Foundation.

Harold Simonsen served as president of the National Pool Classic Association (NPCA) from 1977 to 1983. In 1990 and 1991, he served as founding president of the Professional Billiard Tour Association (PBTA) From 1993 to 1995, He was the tour designer and served as a consultant for the development of the WPBA's Classic Billiard Tour, which has resulted in the sport's leading and most widely televised events.

Other members of the Hall of Fame include Ruth McGinnis, Dorothy Wise, Sy and Dolly Ekstadt, Joe Farhat, Masako Katsura, Jean Balukas, Palmer Byrd, Madelyn Whitlow and Vicki Paski.

More information at the WPBA website: http://wpba.com