Fishers - - Saturday, September 6, 2008, Conner Prairie hosts the seventh annual Spirit of the Prairie Awards, where the museum’s highest honor is presented to those trailblazers whose successes demonstrate achievement, courage, innovation and vision. Since its inception in 1999, Spirit of the Prairie Awards has honored those individuals whose indelible accomplishments define excellence and integrity. In the early 1900s, William Conner, Indiana statesman and Conner Prairie’s namesake, entertained the “who’s who” of Indiana at his 1823 brick home on the site of the current museum. So it seems fitting for Conner Prairie to perpetuate this tradition by hosting the Spirit of the Prairie Awards on its beautiful 850-acre property.
This year’s event honors three individuals and one family, outstanding trailblazers who have made exceptional contributions to the fields of culture, law, medicine and education. Conner Prairie names Berkley Duck, Father Boniface Hardin, Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, and Hidetaro and Zeyda Suzuki as recipients of the 2008 Spirit of the Prairie Award.
Conner Prairie President and CEO Ellen M. Rosenthal explained, “Conner Prairie programming emphasizes the important connection between the past and the present. The Spirit of the Prairie Awards underscore that people today still possess the traits – courage, innovation and vision - and the strength of character embodied by the men and women who built America. The extraordinary people we honor on September 6 continue to shape our culture and improve the world we live in.”
In addition to the formal awards program, which includes special guest presenters and dignitaries, cocktail-attired patrons will enjoy fine cuisine in an elegant outdoor setting and “history in action” dramatic vignettes, making the event truly unique. Tickets are available online at ConnerPrairie.org or by calling 317.776.6000. Prices start at $100 and tables of ten are available. Proceeds from the event support educational programming at Conner Prairie.
2008 Spirit of the Prairie Awards
Saturday, September 6 at Conner Prairie
5:00 p.m. Trailblazer VIP Reception (hosted by the Conner Prairie Alliance at the Conner Homestead)
5:30 p.m. Guests arrive
7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:45 p.m. Spirit of the Prairie Awards Program
2008 Honorees
Berkley Duck - Spirit of the Prairie Leadership Award
Berkley Duck retired as a managing partner of Ice Miller LLP in Indianapolis after nearly 40 years of service to the respected law firm. The Harvard Law School graduate is also Chairman of the Board of the Conner Prairie Foundation and is credited with leading the effort for Conner Prairie’s independence from Earlham College from 2003 through 2005. Berkley Duck’s commitment to leadership is also seen through his past and present involvement with numerous community-based organizations.
Father Boniface Hardin - Spirit of the Prairie Education Award
Reverend Father Boniface Hardin founded Martin University in 1977 and served as its president until retiring at the end of 2007. During that time, he guided the university’s development, awarded more than 1,200 degrees and built a 58,000 square-foot educational center. Father Hardin has long been an inspirational teacher, guide and community leader with a deep commitment to the advancement of society.
Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz - Spirit of the Prairie Business & Industry Award
Dr. Ora Pescovitz serves as president and CEO of Riley Hospital for Children, Executive Associate Dean for Research Affairs at Indiana University’s School of Medicine and Interim Vice President for Research Administration at Indiana University. Still a practicing pediatric endocrinologist, Dr. Pescovitz is an active member of many service and medical organizations in the Indianapolis community; she has also presided over numerous boards and committees across the country.
Hidetaro and Zeyda Ruga Suzuki - Spirit of the Prairie Family Award
Hidetaro and Zeyda Ruga Suzuki are both internationally-recognized musicians who have struck a chord with music lovers in Indiana and throughout the world. Violinist Hidetaro Suzuki served as concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for 15 years until retiring in 2007. Zeyda Ruga Suzuki is a dedicated chamber musician who learned to read music at the age of three. Her talents as a pianist put her in the forefront of many international symphony orchestras. Together, they have celebrated music and each other for 46 years.
Conner Prairie board members Pat Garrett Rooney and Jerry Semler, who were key leaders in launching the first Spirit of the Prairie Awards in 1999, are co-chairs of the event. Awards committee members include Nancy Ayres, Mary Busch, Jill Dale, Anne Davis, Lynnette Hanes, Bruce Hetrick, Mary Anne Koehler, Nelson Price and Julie Thompson.
Last year’s event posthumously honored Conner Prairie founder Eli Lilly. Additional past Spirit of the Prairie Awards honorees include David Baker, Jr.; Joseph D. Barnette, Jr.; Walter S. Blackburn; Dr. Diane Brashear, Ph.D.; William and Gayle Cook; James “Doc” Counsilman; Christel DeHaan; Crystal Gayle; the Hulman-George Family; Michael Graves; Richard and Lee Hamilton; Rev. Ted Hesburgh; Raymond Leppard; William G. Mays; J. Irwin Miller Family; the Mills Family; James Morris; Sandi Patty; Bobby Plump; Oscar Robertson; Lyn St. James; Chris Schenkel; Will Shortz; and Randall Tobias. Brief biographical statements of these individuals are available at ConnerPrairie.org.
Conner Prairie, an outdoor history museum accredited by the American Association of Museums, has emerged as a national leader and is considered a pacesetter in the museum field. Conner Prairie is located just five miles north of Indianapolis on more than 800 acres of picturesque landscape in Fishers, Indiana (Hamilton County) and attracts 300,000 individuals annually to its groundbreaking programs, events and activities. Additional information about Conner Prairie is available online at ConnerPrairie.org.