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
1988 · John T. Pierson, Jr., President, PRECO Industries
1987 · Heinz K. Wehner, Group Vice President and General Manager, Agricultural Chemical Division, Mobay Corp.
1986 · Allen M. Acheson, President, Black & Veatch International
1985 · Stanley A. Hamilton, President, Hallmark International; Honorary British Consul
· James E. Burke, late Honorary Consul of Japan
1984 · Rod Turnbull, Director of Public Affairs, Kansas City Board of Trade
Mike Wood Presidential Citation of Merit
2022 · Jack McLaren, longtime Great Decisions group leader
2017 · Kathie Allison, former member of the IRC Board of Directors
2012 · Lowell Jacobsen, IRC Board of Directors
2011 · Stanley S. Pearson, former member of the IRC Board of Directors
2010 · John Phillips, IRC Board of Directors
Special Awards
1999 · Michael B. Wood, IRC Board of Directors and Past President
1995 · James E. Kelly, IRC Board of Directors and Past President