The Heinz Awards are individual achievement honors given annually by the Heinz Family Foundation. The Heinz Awards each year recognize outstanding individuals for their innovative contributions in three areas: the Arts, the Economy and the Environment. The award was established in 1993 by

Teresa Heinz Teresa Heinz (born Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira; October 5, 1938), also known as Teresa Heinz Kerry, is a Portuguese-American businesswoman and philanthropist. Heinz is the widow of former United States Senate, U.S. Senator John Hein ...

, the

chairwoman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

of the Heinz Family Foundation, in honor of her late husband, U.S. Senator H. John Heinz III. The Heinz Award is considered to be among the largest individual achievement prizes in the world. Two recipients in each of the three categories receive an unrestricted prize of 250,000 and a cast

silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...

medallion. In 2009 through 2011, the Awards instead did a Special Focus on the Environment, and widened the awards to 10 people, each winner receiving 100,000 and a medallion. The Heinz Award medallion displays the likeness of Senator Heinz and the words "Shared Ideals Realized" on its front side, which is a quote from the late Senator Heinz. On the medallion's reverse side the image of a

globe A globe is a spherical Earth, spherical Model#Physical model, model of Earth, of some other astronomical object, celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but, unlike maps, they do not distort the surface ...

being exchanged between two hands is displayed.

Selection process

Criteria

As written by the Heinz Family Foundation, the candidates who are chosen must meet three standards: First, nominees must exhibit the following personal characteristics: A passion for excellence that goes beyond intellectual curiosity; a concern for humanity rooted in a deep sensitivity for the well-being of others; and a broad vision which extends far beyond the particular and embraces something universal. Second, work of the candidates for a Heinz Award must meet the following criteria: Be significant and not a "quick fix"; Have an enduring and meaningful impact; be creative and innovative; and be sufficiently tangible to serve as a model for replication elsewhere. Third, candidates should be actively working in the field in which they are nominated so that this award will enhance their potential for future societal contribution.

Selection

Members of an

anonymous Anonymous may refer to: * Anonymity, the state of an individual's identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown ** Anonymous work, a work of art or literature that has an unnamed or unknown creator or author * Anonym ...

Council of Nominators are chosen for their expertise in the fields relevant to the award for which they will be nominating. After the nominators have recommended the candidates, the nominations are forwarded to a jury consisting of noted experts in each of the three categories. The jury then chooses the final recipients and sends these to the program's Board for final approval.

The Chairman's Medal

In certain years, the Heinz Awards Board has also chosen to honor the lifetime achievement of a particular individual. The award is a non-monetary prize, and the honoree is presented with the Awards' medallion at the same ceremony as the other

laureates In English, the word laureate has come to signify eminence or association with literary awards or military glory. It is also used for recipients of the Nobel Prize, the Gandhi Peace Award, the Student Peace Prize, and for former music direc ...

Special Focus on the Environment

In 2009, in honor of the awards' 15th anniversary, an award for special focus on the environment was created in lieu of the traditional five awards. A larger group of 10 individuals were awarded 100,000 each, honoring those working in innovative ways to address the environment through the lens of the existing five categories. Similarly, in 2010 and 2011 the Special Focus was continued, and in both years 10 individuals were again each awarded 100,000 each. In 2012, the Awards returned to the core five categories.

Recipients

References

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External links

HeinzAwards.org
Awards established in 1993 Awards for contributions to culture Environmental awards Awards for contributions to society 1993 establishments in the United States