Monday, December 9, 2013

INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM ASSOCIATION AWARDS  --- Named after famous IPA members of the past and present

The MARK TWAIN AWARD given in honor of one of our most famous IPA members, probably the greatest writer and speaker of his era. It is presented annually to "Mark Twain's Successor As America's Most Delightful Entertainer, Gentle Depictor of the Virtues and Weaknesses of Humanity with Humor's Paintbrush." Recipients, all of whom made memorable presentations at the IPA convention after receiving their award, have included Bob Hope, Erma Bombeck, Victor Borge, Art Buchwald, Jean Shepherd, Norman Lear, Dr. Charles Jarvis, Danny Kaye, Mark Russell, and George Plimpton 1982.

The THEODORE ROOSEVELT AWARD "For Excellence in Public Service" presented each year by a member of the Roosevelt family in honor of IPA's first presidential member. Winners include Henry Kissinger (Alice Roosevelt Longworth made the presentation), for his handling of the reestablishment of relations with China, Governor Reubin Askew, for his efforts in the field of judicial desegregation, James Schlesinger, for his courageous public service to the United States, and Senator William Proxmire for his many statements on excessive federal expenditures and for his Golden Fleece Awards.

The WINSTON CHURCHILL AWARD given in honor of the great Prime Minister (whose son and grandson followed him as IPA members) "For Statements Made from the Platform Which Will Most Affect the Future of American Citizens." Recipients include Leon Jaworski, for his conduct of the Watergate investigation, Joseph A. Califano, Jr., for his statements concerning the dangers of smoking, Winston Churchill II for his many contributions to British-American friendship in the tradition of his famous ancestor, and Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, for his statements on peaceful uses of atomic energy.

The DANIEL WEBSTER AWARD given in honor of one of our organization's original founders for "The Most Influential Words Spoken Concerning the Nation's Most Important Problem." Among the award winners have been Glenn Seaborg for his statements on the peaceful uses of atomic energy, Howard Jarvis for his Proposition 13, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, who started everyone jogging for their health, economist Arthur B. Laffer, the ideologic source of many of the current ideas and theories concerning taxation and the developer of the "Laffer Curve," and Senate Majority Leader Howard H. Baker, Jr. for his skill and diplomacy in merchanting the Administration's program to the U.S. Senate.

The INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM ASSOCIATION AWARD for outstanding public service achievements includes such winners as Drew Pearson, for uncovering evidence which convicted Congressional malefactors, President Lyndon Johnson, for his success in getting social legislation approved by Congress, Art Linkletter, for his statements concerning drug addiction in the United States, Jack Anderson, for evidence which brought to trial and conviction lawbreakers in the Congress of the United States, Chief Justice Earl Warren, for his statements concerning the principle of "one man, one vote," Richard Nixon in a joint award with John F. Kennedy for the great debate that changed the American political system, Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, for his warnings about the deterioration of American education, Ralph Nader, for his courageous partisanship for the consumer and lobbyist for the unrepresented, Lawrence Spivak for his distinguished career on Meet the Press, Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley, General Alexander Haig, Senator Robert C. Byrd, and Leo Cherne for the accuracy of his social and economic prediction over the many years.

The JOHN WAYNE AWARD, named after IPA's famous member of many years who participated in creating the award before his death, to be given to a cinema personality who has become a legend in his (or her) time. The first recipient was John Wayne's favorite movie actress, Elizabeth Taylor. 1982 (est. 1982)

The LOWELL THOMAS AWARD named after our IPA president of many years and original winner, presented each year to the "Outstanding Electronic Journalist of the Year." Past winners include Eric Sevareid, Howard K. Smith, Barbara Walters, Harry Reasoner, Jim Lehrer, Frank Reynolds, David Brinkley, and Edwin Newman. 1982

The JAMES KILPATRICK AWARD for "The Nation's Most Effective Conservative Voice," presented each year by national columnist and IPA Board member James Kilpatrick, has gone to William Safire, William E. Simon, Senator Jesse Helms, National Right to Work Committee President Reed Larson, Director of the Office of Management and Budget David Stockman, and U.S. Attorney General William French Smith. 1982

The FORBES MAGAZINE AWARD, for "Top Business Speaker of the Year," will be presented annually by Forbes Magazine President Malcolm S. Forbes, Jr. It has gone to Eaton Board Chairman E. Mandell de Windt, Sohio Board Chairman Charles E. Spahr, Koppers Co. Board Chairman Fletcher Byrom, Dart Industries Board Chairman Justin Dart, Forbes Magazine publisher and Editor-in-Chief Malcom Forbes, Control Data Corp. Board Chairman William C. Norris, and President of the Worldwide Marriott Corp. J. W. Marriott, Jr. 1982

The CARL SANDBURG AWARD, given in memory of IPA'S longtime member and farmer editor of TA.LENT Magazine is presented annually by his daughter to "The People's Poet" and has gone to Helga Sandburg, Rod McKuen, Library of Congress Consultant in Poetry William Meredith, nationally famous poet and author John Ciardi, and superstar and lyricist John Denver. 1982

The GLENN SEABORG AWARD given in person each year by Nobel laureate and IPA President Glenn Seaborg to one who has done the most to increase the interest of the public in science. Given for the first time in 1979 to scientist/author Isaac Asimov, it has since been presented to New York Times honored science writer Walter S. Sullivan Carl Sagan, scientist, bestselling author and the TV producer and star in COSMOS, and Dennis Flanagan, Editor of Scientific American magazine.) 1982

The HARRY BLACKSTONE AWARD "For Best Magic Performance of the Year" is given in memory of IPA's greatest magician member, Harry Blackstone. Presented in 1980 to The Great Blackstone's son, Harry Blackstone., Jr., world famous magician Mark Wilson, and wizard extraordinaire Doug Henning. 1982

The JACK ANDERSON AWARD for investigative reporting, formerly the Lincoln Steffens Award, presented annually by IPA Board member Jack Anderson. Former winners include Jack Anderson, Seymour M. Hersh, and Jerry Landauer.

The ELEANOR ROOSEVELT AWARD for outstanding achievement, given in memory of IPA'S longtime and active member has been presented to Juanita Kreps, former Secretary of Commerce, and actress Liv Ullman for her efforts on behalf o refugees worldwide. 1982

The RALPH WALDO EMERSON AWARD presented to that person who is a "literary immortal whose name is a living legend in his/her time," was initiated in 1981 by being presented to Herman Wouk, author of The Caine Mutiny, Winds of War, and many other bestselling brooks.

The DREW PEARSON MEMORIAL LECTURE AWARD given in honor of former IPA President Drew Pearson, has been awarded to Abby Van Buren and Ann Landers. This is a speech to be made on any subject by a person Drew Pearson either respected or would have admired. The speaker gets an engraved bowl.

The LOWELL THOMAS MEMORIAL LECTURE AWARD given in honor of former IPA President Lowell Thomas. An engraved bowl given for a speech on any subject by a person Lowell Thomas would have admired.

The IPA TOP DISCOVERY IN THE FIELD OF HUMOR, an engraved bowl which will be given to the humorist getting the best audience vote of five such speaker who have never been presented before to the lecture program chairmen at an IPA convention. One humorist will be put on each evening for five successive nights at the IPA convention and the winner will be decided by audience polls which will be taken each night after the presentation. Last year's winner was Art Hoist.

The CLARENCE DARROW AWARD given in honor of IPA's former member, the great legal crusader of two centuries ago, for contributions to our nation's system of justice, has been presented to F. Lee Bailey and constitutional lawyer William Bentley Ball. 1982

The BURTON HOLMES AWARD for the nation's top film lecturer given in honor of our former IPA member who was the inventor of the film lecture. Past. winners are Doug Jones, Don Cooper, Thayer Soule, Charles Forbes Taylor, and Dr. Horace E. Dobbs.

The EVERETTE PETERSON AWARD, formerly the Drew Pearson Award, to honor the top club or association lecture program chairman in the U.S. Recent winners have been Dr. Robert Hesse, President of Chautauqua Institute, and Don Tuffs of Arizona's Sundome Center for the Performing Arts. 1982

The DREW PEARSON AWARDS to honor the top college lecture program chairman in the country and to recognize the outstanding participating lecture bureaus.

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