Karen Pittman has made a career of starting organizations and initiatives that promote youth development – including the Forum for Youth Investment, which she co-founded with Merita Irby in 1998.
A sociologist and recognized leader in youth development, Karen started her career at the Urban Institute, conducting studies on social services for children and families. She later moved to the Children's Defense Fund, launching its adolescent pregnancy prevention initiatives and helping to create its adolescent policy agenda. In 1990 she became a vice president at the Academy for Educational Development, where she founded and directed the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research and its spin-off, the National Training Institute for Community Youth Work.
In 1995 Karen joined the Clinton administration as director of the President's Crime Prevention Council, where she worked with 13 cabinet secretaries to create a coordinated prevention agenda. From there she moved to the executive team of the International Youth Foundation (IYF), charged with helping the organization strengthen its program content and develop an evaluation strategy. In 1998 she and Rick Little, head of the foundation, took a leave of absence to work with ret. Gen. Colin Powell to create America's Promise. Upon her return, she and Irby launched the Forum, which later became an entity separate from IYF.
Under their leadership the Forum has made good on its tag line – moving ideas to impact – by leading the charge to create ready youth, ready communities and ready leaders. This work is anchored in the Forum's broad Ready by 21 initiatives and implemented through its core team and three affiliates: the Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, Community Systems Group and SparkAction.
Karen has written three books and dozens of articles on youth issues, including as a regular columnist in the youth development newspaper, Youth Today. She is also a respected public speaker and has served on numerous boards and panels, including those of the Kauffman Foundation, the Educational Testing Service, the National Commission on the Senior Year of High School, the National Center for Children in Poverty, JCPenney Afterschool Fund, National Collaboration for Youth, and the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation Board. She currently sits on the America's Promise Board of Trustees and YouthBuild USA.
Karen has been honored with the National Commission for African American Education Augustus F. Hawkins Service Award (2002), the American Youth Policy Forum Decade of Service Award for Sustained Visionary Leadership in Advancing Youth Policy (2003), the Healthy Teen Network Sprit of Service Award (2007), The Non Profit Times' Power & Influence Top 50 (2009), and most recently, was named one of the 25 most influential leaders in afterschool by the National Afterschool Association.
D. Kenneth Patton is a renowned real estate consultant and developer with more than 35 years of experience synthesizing livability and economic development. Ken began his career in urban economic development as a neighborhood activist in Brooklyn. Since then he has served as dean of NYU Schack Institute where he oversaw the graduate program triple in size. More recently, he served as interim special advisor for Schack.
Prior to his work at NYU he served as COO of Helmsley-Spear Inc. and was the first full time president of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY). In his role with REBNY, he worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to convert the Urban Action Development Grant Program to one of subordinate loans.
Ken has also served as the New York City's Economic Development administrator and as the Commissioner of Commerce under Mayor John V. Lindsay. As commissioner, he created more than 16,000 jobs by leading the construction of Hunts Point Market, South Street Restoration and assembling 2,000 acres of land for urban industrial parks and downtown development in New York City's outer boroughs. He also was instrumental in the renovation of Yankee Stadium and the acquisition and development of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Ken remains active in civic life, currently serving as a trustee for the New York City Police Foundation and is on numerous other boards, including the Pratt Institute and the Theater Development Fund. He serves on the board of the Community Preservation Corporation and is Director of the Bryant Park Business Improvement District. His years of contributions to urban economic development serve as the framework for his message that successful community revitalization requires active involvement in all sectors and that cultural, civic and design elements are even more important today as society migrates from the manufacture of goods to the focus on services and media.
Gerald W. Adelmann joined Openlands in 1980 to coordinate a special program that led to the creation of the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, the first federal land designation of its kind. Today, there are nearly fifty federally designated heritage areas across the United States.
In 1988, Jerry was appointed executive director of Openlands. Under his guidance, Openlands launched the 21st Century Open Space Plan, which called for expanded parklands, greenways, and trails in northeastern Illinois and the surrounding region. His leadership in creating the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie; in preserving the rare and scenic landscape at the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve for public enjoyment; and many other conservation and preservation accomplishments has earned him numerous honors and conservation awards. In 2012, the Chicago Botanic Garden awarded him the prestigious Hutchinson Medal.
Jerry is chairman of the Center for Humans and Nature and an emeritus member of the National Board of Advisors of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He also chairs the City of Chicago's Nature and Wildlife Committee, where he played an integral role in the initiation and recent completion of the Chicago Nature and Wildlife Plan, and is a trustee of the Illinois State Museum as well as the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.
He has served on the boards of numerous organizations and agencies such as the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council, The Nature Conservancy's Illinois Chapter, the Hegeler-Carus Foundation, the Liberty Prairie Foundation, and the Governor's Task Force that established the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency in 1985.
In addition, Jerry was a founding board member of the Chicago Maritime Society. He is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Center for United States-China Arts Exchange at Columbia University, the Executive Council of Chicago Metropolis 2020, and the National Council of The Conservation Fund.
He has been active in preservation, conservation, and planning efforts in his hometown of Lockport, Illinois since the 1970's and has been involved in conservation and historic preservation projects in Southeast Asia since the early 1990s. He lectures extensively throughout the United States and abroad. Jerry has received an honorary doctorate from Lewis University and is an honorary member of the American Association of Landscape Architects. He was a recipient of Chicago magazine's 2010 Green Awards, which honor local individuals creating and carrying out innovative projects directed at preserving the earth.
The YMCA's Lockheed Martin Technology Centers The Lockheed Martin Technology Centers located within the South Orlando and Tangelo Park YMCAs represent the best of what happens when partners join together for the good of the community. In addition to providing fun, high-tech learning experiences for at-risk youth, volunteers from the YMCA, Lockheed Martin and Microsoft inspire students to become the future engineers and scientists of tomorrow. Like every YMCA Youth Development initiative, this program provides the after-school safety, values and mentoring kids need to thrive.
YMCA Links2Learning With a shared commitment to youth development and social responsibility, the Y and Lockheed Martin also team up to support the YMCA Links2Learning program. Through this partnership, the YMCA's Lockheed Martin Technology Centers at South Orlando and Tangelo Park enrich the minds and lives of Central Florida students, inspiring and encouraging them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). These enriching programs impact over 20,000 students every year. One example of the programs' successes was introducing inner-city youth to a new sport ─ golf. The young program participants learn about the STEM skills behind the sport while the project also instills in the youngsters the qualities of civility, sportsmanship and values.
Jonathan Gamble, a computer science major at the University of Central Florida and Lockheed Martin intern, credits his educational success to the value of the Technology Center. "Through the Lockheed Martin/YMCA Technology Center, I didn't only grow to want to be in the engineering community, I became a part of it," Jonathan said. "The technology center gave me a place to learn more about engineering in a nice, safe setting with people with interest just like me, and my internship with Lockheed Martin successfully kick-started my career as an engineer."
Jonathan started attending the Technology Center's after-school program at the beginning of his high school career. With education and the help of mentors at the YMCA, he secured an internship at Lockheed Martin the summer before he began his computer science studies at the University of Central Florida.
"Jonathan was one of three Lockheed Martin interns hired from the Central Florida Technology Centers last year," said Quality & Mission Success Vice President John Varley. "All three will return this year with additional interns as we continue to grow this STEM-focused program."
The technology center continues to build lasting relationships with students to inspire them to pursue a technical degree in college, helping support our local community, workforce and country. From science experiments that teach students how to build paper airplanes and digital bridges to college preparation courses and tours at local corporations like Lockheed Martin, the technology centers enhance the curricula local students learn in their classrooms.
"The YMCA Technology Centers are helping develop the next generation of scientists and engineers to meet the needs of the United States and global security," said Varley. "By engaging these students in extracurricular STEM activities, we show them the real-world relevance of the concepts they are learning in the classroom."
The Lockheed Martin/YMCA program prepares students like Jonathan to excel in the classroom and community, developing well-rounded leaders for the future.
Anthony James Catanese is the president of Florida Institute of Technology, a major research institution with more than 16,000 students. Florida Tech emphasizes academic and research programs in engineering, the sciences, liberal arts, business, psychology and aeronautics. It has a major distance learning program using advanced technology. Such groups as the Carnegie Foundation and U.S. News and World Report rate it amongst America's top universities. The Times Higher Education Rankings from London places it among the best universities in the world.
Dr. Catanese was previously president of Florida Atlantic University, which grew to 25,000 students on seven campuses during his leadership tenure. He was the provost of Pratt Institute in New York City, dean of the College of Architecture at the University of Florida, dean of the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, associate dean of the School of Engineering and Environmental Design and James A. Ryder Professor at the University of Miami, and professor and director of the Center for Planning and Development at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Catanese also was a Senior Fulbright Professor at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia.
He holds a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University, a master's degree from New York University and a doctoral degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. A prolific writer, he has published 13 books, 18 chapters in books and more than 100 articles and monographs.
A member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners, Dr. Catanese previously maintained a private practice in design, planning and development. His consulting contracts numbered over 50 clients, including coastal zone planning and development in Hawaii and native land claims in Alaska. As a developer, he built several projects for the single- and multi-family markets in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Catanese has been a public servant as well. He was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the National Urban Policy Task Force. He served as chair of the Milwaukee City Planning Board and the Gainesville City Planning Commission.
Dr. Catanese was president of the Park West Development Corporation, a not-for-profit group that planned and developed a major area in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the founding president of the Florida State University Presidents Association. He also served as president or chairman of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, Florida Association of Colleges and Universities, Florida Campus Compact, Atlantic Sun Athletics Conference, and Sunshine State Athletics Conference. He has served on numerous boards, including the National Collegiate Athletics Association, John Cabot University (Rome), Orange Bowl Committee, AvMed (South Florida), Wachovia Bank (Florida), Securit-E.com and Modus Operandi Inc.
Dr. Catanese was a past chairman of the board of the United Way of Brevard, as well as the 2006 campaign chair, and is on several local boards including the Maxwell C. King Center, Henegar Center, Leadership Brevard, and Central Florida Partnership.
He is the recipient of numerous awards, the most recent of which include the Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, Trailblazer Award from Rotary International, Diversity Champion Award from the Urban League, Outstanding College President's Award from the All-American Football Foundation, Golden Eagle Award from the Boy Scouts of America, Junior Achievement Hall of Fame, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, and Space Coast Business Leader. He recently was inducted into the Florida Institute of Technology Sports Hall of Fame and the Eckerd Brevard Walk of Fame.
The William H. Whyte Award recognizes those individuals who have exemplified and maintained the mission and ardor of Whyte, whose work provides a factual basis for achieving livability through empirical observations of the relationship of human beings to place.
M.J. “Jay” Brodie has been a leader in the real estate and development field for more than 40 years, beginning in 1969 with the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development where he molded much of the character and image of the Inner Harbor and many neighborhoods.
As Executive Director (1984-1993) of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, a federal corporation established by Congress to revitalize a 21-block, 110-acre area between the White House and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jay oversaw the near completion of the nation’s most prestigious urban redevelopment project using $150 million public funds to attract $1.5 billion in private investment.
From 1996 until his retirement in 2012, Jay served as President of the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), a non-profit organization working with the City of Baltimore to provide economic development services. Under his leadership, BDC’s efforts retained or attracted an estimated 62,672 jobs in 1,087 businesses and/or projects, resulting in a capital investment in rehabilitation or new construction exceeding $3.4 billion.
The Celebrate America Media Award acknowledges journalists and publications that successfully convey critical information on urban strategies to the American public. These honorees strive to make America a better place through the creative communication of innovation and successful advancements in American communities.
Neal Peirce is the lead writer among American journalists on the dynamics of state and local government, with a special focus in recent years on metropolitan regions — their political and economic dynamics, and their emerging national and global roles. Earlier in his career, Neal was the political editor of Congressional Quarterly and then one of the founders of National Journal. He wrote a 10-book series on America’s states and regions culminating in The Book of America: Inside 50 States Today (W.W. Norton, 1983).
In 1975, Neal began — and continues today — the first national column focused on state and local government themes, syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group. With Curtis Johnson, he has co-authored the Citistates Reports on compelling issues of metropolitan futures for leading newspapers in 25 regions across the nation, among them the Seattle Times, Dallas Morning News, Philadelphia Inquirer and St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Neal was lead author of the 1993 book, Citistates. Beginning in 1995, Neal was chairman of the Citistates Group, a network of journalists, speakers, and consultants who believe that successful metropolitan regions are today’s key to economic competitiveness and sustainable communities.
In 2014, Neal expanded his leadership to global urban strategies with the launch of Citiscope, founded with a mission to spur innovation and to help cities work better for all their people through the power of independent journalism.
The Entrepreneurial American Community Award acknowledges the civic capacity building, commitment, vision, and entrepreneurial spirit of a community. Those communities honored with this award are true innovators and have found success in providing unique solutions to local problems.
St. Tammany Parish, located on the banks of Lake Pontchartrain about 30 miles north of New Orleans, is a celebrated Louisiana community and one of the fastest growing parishes in the state.
The eastern part of the parish was the epicenter of the landfall of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, an event that devastated the community and caused over $400 million in damage to commercial and residential buildings. Though Hurricane Katrina destroyed over 48,000 homes and razed a number of important community institutions, the disaster has illustrated the resiliency of the residents of St. Tammany Parish and the community is quickly becoming a source of pride for New Orleans residents once again.
According to the publication Louisiana Moving Forward, St. Tammany Parish is the “economic engine driving regional recovery” for the New Orleans metropolitan region. At the heart of this redevelopment is the rich history of the community, which attracts visitors looking to experience the romance of the resort towns that populate the parish. Smart policies have also allowed the community to foster a business-friendly environment, and the parish is currently home to a number of the country’s most notable corporations, including Chevron, Stirling Properties and Smoothie King. This has created a quickly expanding job market, which when combined with the top-tier public school system and proximity to one of the most culturally rich urban areas in the U.S., make St. Tammany Parish one of the most livable communities in the nation today.
Parish President Pat Brister will accept the award. President Brister is a businesswoman and a leader in Louisiana state politics, having previously served as the Louisiana Republican Party State Chairman. President Brister was appointed by President Bush as an ambassador to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
This award honors organizations that have exemplified strong and enduring leadership, creative solutions to community challenges, and long-term relevance, thereby paving the way for other community- building entities.
SPUR was formed as the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Commission shortly after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to help improve the quality of housing in San Francisco. As the organization evolved over the years, its focus expanded.
SPUR was one of the first organizations to advocate for “transit first” policies, as well as fight for affordable housing in a city that has seen its cost of living grow at a rapid pace. The organization promoted the central city as the key point of development while limiting suburban sprawl. SPUR also advocated for the development of the BART transit system and played a large role in the founding of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. These successful endeavors among others helped to create the modern and eminently livable San Francisco we know today.
With over 4,000 active members, a new office in San Jose, and plans for another office in Oakland, SPUR is looking to expand their balanced approach to planning. No doubt, SPUR will help those communities flourish by contributing to their design and planning as they have in San Francisco for decades.
Gabriel Metcalf is the executive director of SPUR. Under his leadership, SPUR has grown dramatically in influence and membership. Before becoming executive director in 2005, Gabriel headed up SPUR’s policy and advocacy work for five years. Prior to SPUR, he worked for the Bay Institute, an environmental organization focused on California water policy. He was also a co-founder of City CarShare and for many years served as its board chairman.
The Entrepreneurial American Leadership Award acknowledges the civic capacity building, commitment, vision, and entrepreneurial spirit of an individual. Those honored with this award are real “doers” that accomplish change for the betterment of our communities.
Bob Kendrick began his involvement with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) as a volunteer in 1993. He teamed with the immensely popular former Negro League player and longtime NLBM chairman, Buck O’Neil, to help grow the not-for-profit organization from a one-room office in 1990 into its current 10,000 sq. ft. home in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District in Kansas City, Missouri.
O’Neil’s death in 2006 coupled with an economic downturn had the museum’s survival in jeopardy. Kendrick, who served as Vice President of Marketing, left the NLBM in 2010 to pursue another career opportunity. He returned in 2011 after the museum’s board elected him President. Under Bob’s direction, the NLBM has returned to profitability and is playing host to nearly 60,000 visitors a year.
The NLBM is the world’s only museum solely dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history of the Negro Leagues and its impact on the social advancement of America. Bob Kendrick’s entrepreneurial spirit and leadership has allowed this important cultural institution to flourish while educating people worldwide about a significant, but once forgotten, chapter of Americana.
The Bridge Builders Award honors civic leaders who have formed partnerships across racial, social, economic, and geographic barriers for the betterment of their communities. Through unique partnerships, these honored individuals pioneer programs and projects that stand as great examples to the power and possibility fostered when people put aside differences and join together for a common goal.
Harris Ranch is a pedestrian-friendly 1,300-acre master-planned community located in south east Boise. This project embraces the concepts of New Urbanism and Smart Growth, managing a careful balance between new development and the protection of the environment, wildlife habitat, and historic values in the Barber Valley. The Harris Ranch development was approved through Boise’s first Specific District Ordinance for 2,600 residential units and over a million square feet of commercial/retail space.
Dallas Harris completed the first Master Plan for Harris Ranch in March of 1976. That vision was sustained for many years through the efforts of Dallas and his wife, Alta. Daughters Felicia Burkhalter and Millie Davis, along with their brother Randy, are committed to completing that vision to honor their parents.
Early in 2005, the Harris Family hired LeNir Ltd. as development manager and adopted as their mission statement, “In a timely manner, to profitably sell the assets of Harris Ranch in a professional and businesslike atmosphere, demonstrative of the Owner’s commitment to the environment, the community and their heritage.”
The Harris family and their team initiated a series of charrettes in a collaborative transparent atmosphere to collectively plan Harris Ranch with their neighbors, government agencies, and environmental groups. That collaboration and transparency continues.
Doug Fowler is the Founder, President, and CEO of LeNir Ltd., a company founded in 1982, specializing in real estate development, project management, owner representation, and real estate consulting. For over 30 years, LeNir has worked on a number of projects including land development, mid-rise office buildings, 12-story condominiums, and retail development. Doug and his firm continue a legacy of excellence with the Harris Ranch development.
The Founders Award for Civic Leadership acknowledges an individual of national stature for his or her contributions in the stewardship of our nation’s communities. The men and women who receive this award are recognized as individuals whose lives reflect a unique leadership that have a significant impact on the quality of life for people across America.
Sam A. Williams is a professor at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. He recently retired as President of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Throughout his 17 year presidency he played an integral role in progressing the Atlanta Metropolitan Region. He was a leading member of the business community in recruiting the Centennial Olympic Games to Atlanta in 1996 and in planning the development of Centennial Olympic Park after the games, resulting in the Georgia Aquarium, Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the College Football Hall of Fame. He led the private sector economic recruitment post-Olympics, resulting in an influx of financial investment and infrastructure improvements and a global mindset, now experiencing investments from over 2,800 foreign companies.
Sam was a key leader in helping change the controversial state flag of Georgia. He managed a coalition to solve regional water issues resulting from litigation between Alabama, Florida, and Georgia over the Chattahoochee River. Under his leadership, the Chamber helped restructure Grady Memorial Hospital, saving it from foreclosure and helping business leaders raise $350 million for its rehabilitation. During his Chamber tenure, Sam raised more than $300 million for economic development, marketing, and public policy efforts, creating regional economic and public policy strategies with Atlanta’s Fortune 1,000 CEOs.
Previously, he was a leading partner in John Portman’s architecture and development firm for 22 years creating major urban developments in Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Jeddah. He started his career by serving as an assistant to Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen. Among other honors upon retirement, he received the Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
His new book, The CEO as Urban Statesman, from Mercer University Press, profiles five metro cities where business leaders created public-private partnerships to solve major public policy problems or take advantage of economic development opportunities.
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have shown a extraordinary dedication to civic service. Through their commitment to improving livability for all, these individuals have made significant improvements to communities and improved the quality of life for all citizens.
Jaquelin T. Robertson, FAIA is a world renowned architect and urban designer.
As Dean of the University of Virginia School of Architecture from 1980 to 1988, Jaque hosted influential forums bringing together many of the country’s highest-profile architects and planners and inspiring hundreds of budding architecture students. The school’s Jaquelin T. Robertson Visiting Professorship in Architecture allows students to be instructed by the most talented architectural educators from around the country.
With his good friend Mayor Joseph Riley of Charleston, South Carolina, Jaque cofounded the Mayors’ Institute on City Design, a leadership forum for mayors to see urban design as an issue needing their focus. The Mayors’ Institute, now in its 27th successful year, is a nationally recognized gathering for Mayors to discuss best practices for improving the quality of life in their cities through excellence in design and planning.
In 1988, Jaque co-founded the architecture firm Cooper, Robertson & Partners with his Yale School of Architecture classmate, Alexander Cooper. Jaque and his firm have played key roles in award-winning works, including Battery Park in New York City, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia, and the master plan for the planned community of Celebration, Florida.
An innovative American architect and urban designer, Jaque understands the interconnected nature of planning and architecture and the impact it has on the human experience. By reviving traditional styles of architecture and modernizing them with touches specific to each building’s environment, he masterfully uses the built environment as a vehicle for change and revitalization.
The William H. Whyte Award recognizes those individuals who have exemplified and maintained the mission and ardor of Whyte, whose work provides a factual basis for achieving livability through empirical observations of the relationship of human beings to place.
Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, Inc. is being honored for continuing the proud tradition of firm founders Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden. Oehme and van Sweden co-founded the landscape architecture firm in 1977 and created the ‘New American Garden’ style of landscape architecture. Their understanding of the strong sculptural relationship between architecture and landscape has helped promote the greening of cities and has resulted in the improvement of public health around the world. Lisa Delplace, principal and CEO, will accept the award.
Accepted by Lisa Delplace, principal and CEO
Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden co-founded the landscape architecture firm Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, Inc. in 1977. The firm is credited with creating a ‘New American Garden Style’ of landscape architecture, which celebrates the beauty of the natural environment and seeks to treat the physical structures of a garden as complementary elements that enhance the natural landscape. OvS’s notable projects include the World War II Memorial and the Federal Reserve Board Garden in Washington, D.C., as well as the Native Plant Garden in the New York Botanical Garden and the Gardens of the Great Basin in the Chicago Botanic Garden.
OvS partnered with Marilyn Melkonian of the Telesis Corporation on multiple endeavors to bring the beauty of landscape to low-income affordable housing including the Townhomes on Capitol Hill, Paradise Manor Apartments, and Parkside Townhomes in Washington, DC. This partnership allowed for beauty to be brought from grand settings to humble surroundings.
Lisa Delplace, principal and CEO of the firm, will accept the award on behalf of these two innovators and pioneers of landscape architecture.
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have shown a dedication to extraordinary civic service with a commitment to improving livability for all.
Henry R. Richmond is being honored for his leadership as the cofounder of 1,000 Friends of Oregon. Richmond cofounded the organization in 1975, and his leadership and example incited the growth of 1,000 Friends across state-lines, creating a national network of 1,000 Friends organizations advocating for sustainable communities, the protection of farmland and forests, and the conservation of natural resources.
As a 32 year-old attorney, Henry R. Richmond founded 1,000 Friends of Oregon in 1975 with noted environmentalist and then-Governor Tom McCall to protect the state’s new land-use law and advocate for sustainable communities. With the grassroots financial support of 1,000 Oregon residents pledging $100 per year, 1,000 Friends won dozens of court rulings protecting the law and built a diverse coalition of homebuilders, farmers, timber companies, and high tech companies.
Richmond’s incredible foresight in creating this unique organization to protect Oregon’s progressive land-use laws was key to shifting the dialogue and ensuring the protection of the state’s natural beauty, productivity, and overall livability. The broad coalition he helped build was essential for continued legislative support and implementation in 36 counties and 241 cities. Forty years later, the law remains a success — each city has an urban growth boundary (UGB) and 25 million acres of farm and forest land are protected outside of UGBs.
Richmond has created one of the most effective leadership devices for land-use management in the country today. He is seen as a founder of “smart growth” policies across the country, improving the quality of life for countless communities throughout the nation.
The Entrepreneurial American Community Award acknowledges the individuals, groups, and communities that have recognized the value of building a broad constituency among the public and private realms to improve the standing of all residents in their community.
City of Houston, Texas is being honored for successfully transforming itself from a city once reliant on the fossil fuel industry into one of the most economically and culturally dynamic American cities. With a strong economy and high level of diversity, Houston today has set an example for what American communities should aspire to become in the future.
Accepted by Gordon Quan on behalf of Mayor Annise Parker
In the 1980s, Houston was a city with an economy largely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. When oil prices started falling, the local economy suffered dramatically. The end of the oil boom slowed the city’s growth and sent Houston into a recession by the end of the decade.
Today, Houston has one of the fastest growing job markets in the country and is widely considered one of the most ethnically and economically diverse cities in the world. It is home to a flourishing arts and culture community and is quickly becoming a premier destination for foodies worldwide. Respected publications, such as Forbes and the Smithsonian Magazine, have called Houston the “Future of the Great American City.”
Smart policies and effective leadership have fueled Houston’s impressive transformation. It is clear that Houston policymakers understand what it takes to make a truly livable city. Investment in areas such as education, health, renewable energy, and technology have spurred this dramatic growth. Houston has set the precedent for America’s future cities, making it one of the most entrepreneurial communities in America today. Gordon Quan, former Mayor Pro-Tem, will accept the award on behalf of Mayor Anise Parker and the City of Houston.
Photo Description: The Port of Houston is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located just a few hours’ sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico. The port is ranked first in the United States in foreign waterborne commerce and second in total tonnage.
Photo credit: Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Bridge Builders Award honors civic leaders who have formed partnerships across racial, social, economic, and geographic barriers for the betterment of their communities.
The Inter-American Foundation is being honored for more than 40 years of work helping to fund development projects undertaken by grassroots groups and non-governmental organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on the inclusion of the society’s most marginalized communities. Since 1972, the IAF has awarded over $680 million in grants that have benefited hundreds of thousands of families. Robert N. Kaplan, president and CEO, will accept the award.
The Inter-American Foundation, created in 1972 by the Foreign Assistance Act, supports development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IAF is unique in that it exclusively funds grassroots, nongovernmental organizations, thereby elevating the role of communities and their residents in development and aid initiatives. The IAF remains an integral component of American foreign policy, fostering good relations with our Latin American neighbors.
Robert N. Kaplan is the current president of the organization. Prior to joining the IAF, Kaplan was the head of the Inter-American Development Bank, where he was responsible for aid projects in Mexico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Central America. Kaplan has a distinguished career in international development and has manned the helm of one of the most important organizations bringing goodwill to the Western Hemisphere today, and we are pleased to present him with the Bridge Builders Award.
The Entrepreneurial American Leadership Award acknowledges the civic capacity building, commitment, vision and entrepreneurial spirit of an individual.
Sheena Wright is being honored for her extensive work towards improving community livability for New York City’s most underserved populations. Wright has spearheaded efforts to revitalize New York’s marginalized communities and helped build the first new high school building in Harlem in 50 years. She was recently appointed the first female president of the United Way of New York City.
Inspired by her mother’s commitment to education, Wright enrolled at Columbia University at 16 years of age and earned both her bachelor’s and law degrees from the esteemed university. After working for various law firms, she changed her focus to community empowerment and became the vice president of the start-up Crave Technologies.
Wright then moved on to become the president and CEO of the Abyssinian Development Corporation, a community development organization founded by the distinguished Reverend Calvin O. Butts, III. There, she led a number of far-reaching community initiatives, including projects that helped create over 1,000 new jobs, build 785 units of affordable housing, and improve the quality of life of New York City’s most vulnerable residents.
In October 2012, Wright became the first woman to be named the president and CEO of the United Way of New York, where she will continue her important work empowering underserved communities and promoting equity in this time of need.
In 1991, Susan Rodgerson took the principles learned from making collaborative paintings from Boston's diverse communities and turned it into what is now known as Artists for Humanity (AFH), a nationally recognized arts organization. The premise that drives this organization is that skills equals power and opportunity. AFH is a four year paid apprenticeship program where teens and artists from a range of commercial and fine arts backgrounds learn how to create and sell their services. It is also a place where youth are nurtured and given an opportunity to be empowered and realize their potential as future role models and leaders in America. Damon Butler, AFH Co-founder, alumnus, and current AFH Assistant Artistic Director said, "Artists For Humanity gave me a voice when no one else would give me a thought."
Karen Pittman has made a career of starting organizations and initiatives that promote youth development – including the Forum for Youth Investment, which she co-founded with Merita Irby in 1998.
D. Kenneth Patton is a renowned real estate consultant and developer with more than 35 years of experience synthesizing livability and economic development. Ken began his career in urban economic development as a neighborhood activist in Brooklyn. Since then he has served as dean of NYU Schack Institute where he oversaw the graduate program triple in size. More recently, he served as interim special advisor for Schack.
In 1991, Susan Rodgerson took the principles learned from making collaborative paintings from Boston's diverse communities and turned it into what is now known as Artists for Humanity (AFH), a nationally recognized arts organization. The premise that drives this organization is that skills equals power and opportunity. AFH is a four year paid apprenticeship program where teens and artists from a range of commercial and fine arts backgrounds learn how to create and sell their services. It is also a place where youth are nurtured and given an opportunity to be empowered and realize their potential as future role models and leaders in America. Damon Butler, AFH Co-founder, alumnus, and current AFH Assistant Artistic Director said, "Artists For Humanity gave me a voice when no one else would give me a thought."