Research Newsletter

Golf Event Honoring Late IMS Executive Buddy McAtee Raised $100,000 for IU Simon Cancer Center Research

Passion and creativity were the hallmarks of Buddy McAtee’s life, and after his death in February, his family and friends helped him complete his final project. Buddy, an executive with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, had envisioned a golf event at the Speedway’s Brickyard Crossing in May. The event came off as he had planned, with $100,000 raised to support cancer research at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center. The IMS and Emmis Broadcasting were the major corporate sponsors for the event.

McAtee, president, chief operating officer and executive producer of IMS Productions, died Feb. 12 after a courageous battle with cancer. McAtee, in addition to his contributions to IMS, was involved in a variety of philanthropic work which increased dramatically after his cancer diagnosis.

Following his own diagnosis with advanced colon cancer in 2005, McAtee and his wife Judy used their energy and passion to make a world of difference for all Hoosiers with a cancer diagnosis. The McAtees were awarded the 2006 Torchbearer Award for “transcending the experience of cancer and making a positive contribution to others with cancer in their life.” The McAtees joined the IU Simon Cancer Center Development Board and immediately began leveraging their access to celebrities and the Motor Speedway itself to raise the profile of life-saving research and care at the cancer center.

"It is because of his legacy as a human being and his care for others that we continue his work to try and heal, as well as support the work to find cures for people with cancer," said Elaine Cox, M.D., McAtee's sister who is an associate professor of pediatrics at IU School of Medicine. "He believed in the IU Simon Cancer Center and all the people who truly cared for him there and wanted to garner support for that program. This is the first step to doing just that."