Award Recipients - International Relations Council

Distinguished Service Award for International Statesmanship

2019 · Amb. Deborah Birx, M.D., Coordinator of the United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy

2018 · Amb. William J. Burns, President, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; former Deputy Secretary of State

2017 · Gen. Richard Myers, President, Kansas State University; former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

2015 · Noel Lateef, President & CEO, Foreign Policy Association

2014 · Janet Napolitano, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

2013 · Neal Conan, National Public Radio reporter, editor, and former senior host of Talk of the Nation

2012 · Gen. David Petraeus, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

2011 · Amb. Christopher Hill, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and assistant secretary of state for East Asian & Pacific Affairs

2010 · Reza Aslan, author, No god but God, and political commentator

2009 · C. Fred Bergsten, Director, Peterson Institute for International Economics

2008 · Strobe Talbott, President, Brookings Institution

2007 · Sen. Chuck Hagel, U.S. Senator, Nebraska

2006 · Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State

2005 · Amb. John Danforth, former U.S. Senator, Missouri; former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

2004 · Sen. Sam Brownback, U.S. Senator, Kansas

2003 · Robert M. Gates, Ph.D., President, Texas A&M University, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

2002 · Dan Glickman, Head, Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government; former Secretary of Agriculture; former U.S. Congressman

2001 · Alan N. Mulally, President & CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes

2000 · Kenton W. Keith, Senior Vice President and Director, Programming Division, Meridian International Center

1999 · Stephen G. Butler, Chairman & CEO, KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP

1998 · Marshall Loeb, Managing Editor, Fortune and Money

1997 · James B. Steele, Senior Writer-at-Large, Time, Inc.

1996 · Byron Calame, Deputy Managing Editor, The Wall Street Journal

1995 · Delano E. Lewis, President & CEO, National Public Radio

1994 · Roger Morris, Ph.D., author, syndicated columnist, White House and National Security staff for Presidents Nixon and Johnson

1993 · Robert J. Eaton, Chairman & CEO, Chrysler Corporation

1992 · Robert F. Ellsworth, Chairman, Council for the International Institute for Strategic Studies; former Deputy Secretary of Defense

1991 · John McManus, Editor-in-Chief, Time-Warner, Inc.

1990 · Bill Kurtis, Executive Producer, The New Explorers; former co-anchor, CBS News

1989 · Amb. Charles H. Price II, former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland

1988 · William Atkins McWhirter, Senior Correspondent, Time Magazine

1987 · Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum, U.S. Senator, Kansas

· Sen. Thomas F. Eagleton, former U.S. Senator, Missouri

1986 · Jim Lehrer, Host, Lehrer Newshour

1985 · U. Alexis Johnson, former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs

1984 · William G. Hyland, Editor, Foreign Affairs; former Deputy Assistant to the President for International Security Affairs

Award for Academic Leadership

2019 · Dr. Sarah Finocchario Kessler, associate professor, University of Kansas Medical Center

2017 · University of Missouri–Kansas City, Dean Kevin Truman, accepting

2009 · Stowers Institute, William Neaves, President & CEO, accepting

2008 · KU Confucius Institute, Sheree Willis, accepting

2007 · Richard Derman, MD, MPH, Associate Dean for Women’s Health, UMKC

2006 · Beverly Byers-Pevitts, President, Park University

2003 · Paul and Colleen Nance, Founders, Nance Museum and Library of Middle Eastern Art

2002 · Gary Armstrong, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Political Science, William Jewell College

2001 · Hal Jehle, Secondary Resource Specialist, Shawnee Mission School District

2000 · Maria Carlson, Ph.D., Director, Center for Russian and East European Studies, the University of Kansas

1999 · KCPT Public Television 19, William T. Reed, accepting

1998 · John E. Cleek, Ph.D., Director, Center for International Business, Bloch School of Business and Public Administration, UMKC

1997 · The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Marc F. Wilson, accepting

1996 · Terry Rodenberg, Ed.D., Director, International Programs, Central Missouri State University

1995 · Janet R. Baird, Ph.D., Program Administrator, Southeast Magnet High School for International Studies

1994 · George Woodyard, Ph.D., Dean of International Studies, the University of Kansas

1993 · Carolyn J. Kadel, Director of International Education, Johnson County Community College

1992 · Paul A. Garcia, Ph.D., Instructional Specialist for Language and International Studies, Kansas City, Missouri, School District

1991 · Henry A. Mitchell, Professor and Associate Vice Chancellor, Academic and International Affairs, UMKC

1990 · Miyo Wagner, Visiting Instructor of Japanese Language, Rockhurst College

1989 · E. Grey Dimond, MD, Provost Emeritus, Health Sciences, UMKC

1987 · Ed Chasteen, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, William Jewell College

1986 · David Wolfe, Director, Social Studies, Shawnee Mission School District

1985 · Harry L. Klut, Social Studies teacher, Paseo High School, Kansas City School District

1984 · Joyce Cox, Social Studies teacher, Center High School, Center School District

Award for Contributions to the Community

2019 · Swope Health, Jeron Ravin, president and CEO, accepting

2018 · City of Kansas City, Missouri, Scott Wagner, Mayor Pro Tem, accepting

2017 · Greater Kansas City Consular Corps, Dean Harry McLear, accepting

2016 · A. Zahner Co.

2015 · Henry Bloch, Chairman, Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation; co-founder, H&R Block, Inc.

2014 · Julián Zugazagoitia, President & CEO, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

2013 · R. Crosby Kemper III, Executive Director, Kansas City Public Library

2012 · Sporting Kansas City, Greg Cotton, Chief of Staff, accepting

2011 · Consul Jacob Prado, Consul General of Mexico at Kansas City

2010 · Seaboard Corporation, Robert Steer, Senior Vice President & CFO, accepting

2009 · Danny O’Neill, President & Owner, The Roasterie

2008 · Len Rodman, President, Chairman, & CEO, Black & Veatch

2004 · Consul General Takao Shibata, Consul General of Japan at Kansas City

· Benny Lee, Chairman & CEO, Top Innovations, Inc.

2003 · Dr. Min H. Kao, President & CEO, Garmin International; Co-founder and Co-chairman, Garmin Corporation

2002 · Michael R. Haverty, Chairman, President, & CEO, Kansas City Southern Industries

2001 · Lillian Gonzalez Pardo, MD, Medical Director, TEVA Neuroscience; Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology, KU Medical Center; President, Filipino Cultural Center Foundation

2000 · Dr. Richard W. Harriman, Founder & Director, Harriman Arts Program, William Jewell College

1999 · Jeffrey W. Colyer, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center

1998 · John P. McMeel, Chairman, Andrews McMeel Universal

1997 · Stanley H. Durwood, Chairman & CEO, AMC Entertainment, Inc.

1996 · Anne and Norman Burkart, President and Director, Language Link

1995 · William D. Chapman, President, Butler International

1994 · Lawrence D. Starr, President & CEO, Koch Supplies, Inc.

1993 · Gary B. Morsch, MD., Founder & Chairman, Heart to Heart International

1992 · Morton I. Sosland, Chairman, Sosland Publishing Company

1991 · Robert A. Cushman, President, ARMCO Worldwide Grinding Systems; Vice President, ARMCO, Inc.

1990 · James L. Rainey, President & CEO, Farmland Industries

1989 · William T. Esrey, President & CEO, United Telecom and Sprint