U.P. native Justin Florek named IOA/American Specialty AHL ‘Man of the Year’

(Courtesy of Providence Bruins)

The Providence Bruins announced Upper Peninsula native Justin Florek has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Rhode Island Community community during the 2014-15 season.

Over the past four seasons with the Providence Bruins, Florek has participated in many community service projects. This season, he participated in Reading Week at St. Rose of Lima School in Warwick, a Halloween visit to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and many other fan-related events.

Florek is now one of 30 finalists for the AHL’s 2014-15 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League later this month.