Harry Porett
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- Year:
- 1927
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- Hometown:
- Waukegan, Illinois
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- High School:
- Waukegan
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- Team:
- Football
Growing up in Waukegan, Illinois, after Harry and his parents
immigrated from Russia when he was eleven years old. Harry attended
Waukegan High School and was a member of their football team.
He entered Lake Forest College in 1923 and earned four varsity letters in football. Captain of the team his senior year, he was also voted Most Valuable Player. He was selected All-Conference for his accomplishments at tackle. President of Student Council and Phi Pi Epsilon, Harry was also a member of the Athletic Board of Control and was elected to Iron Key.
Graduating in 1927, he returned to Waukegan and played semi-professional football with the Waukegan Elks. He and his brother also started the Porett Brothers Lake County newspaper distributors company in 1927 and he served as Chairman of the Board. He was a four-time president of the Midwest Distributors Association and in 1958 served as chairman of the City of Hope program. In 1952, Harry served his alma mater as president of the Alumni Executive Board for one year. He was honored by Phi Pi Epsilon in 1965 when they named him an outstanding alumnus. After his death his friends started the Harry Porett Scholarship, which is now a permanent endowment at Lake Forest College and is awarded to a student who has worked in the newspaper business.