McLean County Times

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Athletics has announced the renaming of the former Scholarship Suite at CEFCU Arena to the Andy Butler Suite, following approval by the Illinois State University Board of Trustees.

The renaming honors Andy Butler, one of seven men who died in a plane crash on April 7, 2015. The group was returning from Indianapolis after attending the NCAA men's basketball championship game. These men are remembered as the Redbird 7 and have a permanent memorial outside the North entrance of CEFCU Arena, along with a plaque on the arena's concourse.

"Andy was the ultimate Redbird fan. Everyone knew of his love for the Redbirds and his ability to connect people," said ISU Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs. "He showed up for the Redbirds in person at games and events, in his generous contributions, and by spreading the Red. We couldn't be happier to honor Andy's Redbird spirit with the naming of the Andy Butler Suite."

A 1996 graduate of Illinois State, Butler was an avid supporter and served on the Illinois State University Athletics Board (now Weisbecker Athletic Fund). He regularly attended ISU athletics events including football, basketball, baseball, and golf. His enthusiasm encouraged many others to engage with ISU's athletic department.

"It's been way too long since I've seen Andy's huge smile, but I know he'd be so honored to have a suite in CEFCU Arena named after him," said Butler's fiancée Jamie Fox. "Thank you to everyone who made this happen."

Butler worked as a sales manager for Sprint Nextel for nearly 13 years and served large clients such as State Farm and ADM. He received several accolades including Presidential Council Winner and Top Agent for Illinois. Additionally, he was active in Bloomington-Normal’s business community through participation in BNI and McLean County Chamber of Commerce.

Further information about tickets and other services can be found at GoRedbirds.com or via the Illinois State Redbirds App.