For Immediate Release
Priscilla Brendler, Executive Director
September 14, 2020
Greater Hudson Heritage Network's Awards for Excellence program seeks to recognize and commend exceptional efforts among GHHN members. In honor of GHHN's 40th anniversary of service to the heritage field, Awards are made to organizations or individuals in the three categories:
- "Then" Awards are to honor work done in the past 15 years.
- "Now" Awards are to honor work done in the past 5 years through today.
- "Next" Awards are to celebrate recent work (within the last two years) that is ongoing and will continue into the future.
These Awards recognize the achievements of creativity and professional vision resulting in a contribution to the preservation and interpretation of the historic scene, material culture and diversity of the region.
The awards will be presented during the GHHN Then, Now, Next: What Does The Future of Museums Look Like? Virtual Conference held on Wednesdays mornings, September 23 to October 28, 2020
The Awards Ceremony and poster session featuring winning projects will take place during the GHHN Virtual Conference on Wednesday morning, October 14, 2020. Registration is required.
2020 Awards for Excellence are presented to:
Kelsey Brow
Executive Director, King Manor Museum
Area of Achievement: NEXT
This NEXT award is in recognition of Emerging Museum Professional Kelsey Brow who is a font of information, advice, and provides meaningful opportunities for other emerging museum professionals. Brow strives to creates spaces for others to flourish and is a fierce advocate for fair and equitable practices in museums.
Dutchess County Ancient Documents Search Portal
Area of Achievement: NOW
This NOW award is in recognition of the Ancient Documents Search Portal which offers keyword-searchable free public online access to high quality full color scans of over 50,000 pages of historic court records from the 1720's to the 1840's, documents hitherto unavailable to researchers.
Elaine Hayes
Executive Director, Mount Gulian Historic Site
Area of Achievement: THEN
This THEN award is in recognition of Mount Gulian Historic Site's Executive Director, Elaine Hayes, for her consistent success in contributing to the site, to the Hudson Valley's and New York State history, the heritage-keeping community, students, educators and the public since 1992.
Dr. Roberta J.M. Olson
Curator of Drawings Emerita at the New-York Historical Society
Area of Achievement: THEN
This THEN award is in recognition of Dr. Roberta J.M. Olson, Curator of Drawings Emerita at the New-York Historical Society, recognizing her lifetime achievement as a curator, scholar, and advocate for New York art and history.
Bill Pence
Bedford Historical Society Board Member
Area of Achievement: NOW
This NOW award is in recognition of Bill Pence's vision and execution of the "Burning of Bedford" commemoration on Bedford's Village Green. He took the "wish for a memorable educational event" and developed it into a program that resulted in the most well attended event in the Society's history.
Pure Necessity: Revolution at Warwick: The life & times of General John Hathorn, his militia, and the community of Warwick, New York in the late 18th century
Sue Gardner, Author
Area of Achievement: NOW
This NOW award is in recognition of the publication "Pure Necessity: Revolution at Warwick" which is a narrative of the struggle to create our nation, spoken by local people who have fallen silent and are in most cases forgotten. The book is a compilation of primary source research, with narrative context, on the local community's experience of the Revolutionary War.
Elizabeth Stack
Irish American Heritage Museum
Area of Achievement: NEXT
This NEXT award is in recognition of Emerging Museum Professional Elizabeth Stack who joined the Irish American Heritage Museum in April 2018 and shepherded it through a major move and renovation, increasing their digital output and special events. She has transformed the museum into a vibrant, relevant cultural institution with outreach to other heritage partners, strengthening and growing the museum's base.
Tower of Victory Restoration
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site
Area of Achievement: NOW
This NOW award is in recognition of the impressive restoration of Tower of Victory (constructed between 1886 and 1887) which was built as a memorial of the 100th anniversary of the end of the Revolutionary War.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Be sure to register for the Awards for Excellence presentation on October 14 and visit the Virtual Poster Session to learn more about these impressive achievements! For Conference registration or the weekly schedules of speakers and activities, Click here to learn more!
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