Press Release
First Lady Laura Bush and Four Others will be Honored as “Restore America Heroes” at National Trust/HGTV’s Fifth Annual Restore America Gala
Ed Begley Jr. will serve as Master of Ceremonies as First Lady, Corporate and Community Leaders are Honored as Restore America Heroes
Washington, D.C. (June 12, 2007) – First Lady Laura Bush and four other champions who have led efforts to preserve, restore and revitalize their communities will be honored at the Fifth Annual National Trust/HGTV Restore America Gala at Union Station in Washington, D.C on June 12, 2007. In addition to Mrs. Bush, the honorees include: the Honorable Steny Hoyer, Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives; United Technologies Corporation of Hartford, Conn; Bob R. Simpson, CEO of XTO Energy in Fort Worth; and Bill Watanabe, Executive Director of the Little Tokyo Service Center in Los Angeles.
The Restore America Hero award honors public officials, private citizens and corporations whose energy, vision and leadership have had a significant impact on the preservation of our historic and cultural legacy—the buildings, collections, documents and works of art that tell America’s story. Some of the selected honorees have helped protect historic sites by devoting significant time and effort to advancing preservation-friendly legislation and federal programs, while others have championed environmentally-friendly sustainable design efforts and the adaptive re-use of existing buildings.
“For the past five years, the National Trust has proudly joined with HGTV to salute the Restore America Heroes who are making significant contributions to the preservation of America’s communities through their unyielding commitment, vision, and leadership,” said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “This year’s award winners represent the diverse range of important preservation work being done across the country, and the National Trust is pleased to honor them with this prestigious award.”
Since 2003, the National Trust/HGTV Restore America program has provided $4 million to fund 48 restoration projects around the country. HGTV has donated $1 million for the 2006-2007 campaign to fund community revitalization grants. More than 100 grant applications were received from nonprofit organizations and public agencies across the country to complete residential projects. The 12 projects selected range from single-family homes adapted from a row of dilapidated structures built at the turn of the 20th century in Cleveland, Ohio, to the rebuilding of homes in the Holy Cross District of New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward that were damaged during Hurricane Katrina. The recipients have been awarded grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 for the community revitalization projects, which can be viewed at http://www.nationaltrust.org/news/2006/20060423_hgtv.html
In addition to providing funds to support the community projects, HGTV is producing public service announcements for each site that will be featured on HGTV and HGTV.com beginning in October 2006. This will allow news about these projects and the message of preservation to reach more than 92 million U.S. households.
“We’re proud to support the National Trust for Historic Preservation and its commitment to honoring America’s past,” said Judy Girard, president of HGTV. "Over the course of our partnership, we have heard from many of our viewers and online users about the importance of preserving our country’s historic places. HGTV and the National Trust continue their dedication to raise awareness for this important issue and inspire others to preserve and strengthen the fragile communities across America."
The Restore America Gala Chairperson is Marcia V. Mayo, National Trust Trustee. Co-chairs of the Restore America Gala include: Judy Girard, president of HGTV; Richard Moe, president of the National Trust; Mrs. Carolyn Brody, National Trust Trustee; Mrs. Julia Daniels, National Trust Trustee Emeritus; and Mrs. Elinor Farquhar, National Trust Trustee Emeritus.
2007 National Trust / HGTV Restore America Gala
Restore America Heroes bios
Mrs. Laura Bush
First Lady of the United States
First Lady Laura Bush is actively involved in issues of national and global concern, with a particular emphasis on education, health care, and human rights. She is also a true champion of preservation. As First Lady of her native Texas, Mrs. Bush was a strong and highly visible supporter of award-winning efforts to save the state’s courthouses and revitalize its Main Streets. As First Lady of the United States, she has played the same kind of leadership role by lending her support to two of the most wide-reaching preservation programs in the nation. With Mrs. Bush’s leadership, Save America’s Treasures has helped to save hundreds of historic places, and Preserve America has focused public attention on preserving our heritage and our communities.
The Honorable Steny Hoyer
U.S. House of Representatives, (D-MD)
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer of Mechanicsville represents Maryland's Fifth Congressional District. Now serving as House Majority Leader, Congressman Hoyer is serving in his 14th term in the House of Representatives, and is the highest-ranking Member of Congress in Maryland history. He has long been a leader on several key preservation issues. Over the years, he has sponsored and championed measures to recognize, protect and restore a wide range of historic sites, from grand houses to humble tobacco barns. In the process, he has played a key role in saving the historic character that gives Southern Maryland its distinctive flavor.
United Technologies Corporation
Hartford, Connecticut
United Technologies Corporation is a global company made up of world-leading businesses including Carrier heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems; Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace systems and industrial products; Otis elevators and escalators; Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines; Sikorsky helicopters; UTC Fire & Security systems; and UTC Power fuel cells. United Technologies Corporation is a member of the Fortune 50 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average index, employs nearly 215,000 people worldwide, and had 2006 revenues of $47.8 billion. In recent years, UTC has become a global leader in offering a wide range of products that are energy-efficient and environmentally sound – an effort that has won the company international recognition for its commitment to sustainability. Up to now, green building concepts have been most widely used in new construction – but United Technologies is setting new standards for employing sustainable design and high-performance energy systems in the rehabilitation and reuse of historic structures as well. What’s more, these principles are at work in an innovative project currently underway at one of the most significant historic sites right here in Washington – President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home National Monument.
Bob R. Simpson
CEO, XTO Energy
Fort Worth, Texas
Bob Simpson is chairman and CEO of XTO Energy, one of the nation’s largest and most successful independent oil and gas producers. Over the past decade, XTO has quietly created an impressive corporate campus for itself by acquiring five older buildings right in the center of downtown Fort Worth. Instead of moving into a shiny new office park on the edge of town, as many other companies have done, XTO has made a laudable commitment to preservation and revitalization in the center city. Simpson’s philosophy was summed up in a newspaper headline that called him a CEO who “rakes it in and gives it back.” Last year, for the second year in a row, Barron’s magazine named Bob Simpson one of the world’s 30 most respected CEOs.
Bill Watanabe
Executive Director, Little Tokyo Service Center
Los Angeles, CA
Little Tokyo Service Center is a Community Development Corporation devoted to improving the lives of individuals and families through culturally sensitive social services, strengthening neighborhoods through housing and community development, and promoting the rich heritage of the 125-year old community of Little Tokyo. In 27 years as its Executive Director, Bill Watanabe has shaped the nonprofit organization into a leader in the development of affordable housing in many parts of the city. In the Little Tokyo area itself, the Center has focused its efforts on bringing new economic vitality to the community without sacrificing the historic buildings that reflect its multi-ethnic history and culture. The results have won awards from preservation organizations – but equally important, they have brought a renewed sense of identity and pride to residents of a fast-changing urban neighborhood.
For more information about the HGTV’s Restore America initiative, please visit http://www.nationaltrust.org/restore_america/index.html
Members of the media interested in attending can call Virgil McDill, 202-588-6141, or e-mail pr@nthp.org. Media entry is free.
For more information about the 2006 National Trust/HGTV Restore America Gala, visit http://www.nationaltrust.org/restore_america/2006_gala.html
HGTV, America’s leader in home and lifestyle programming, is distributed to more than 92 million U.S. households and is one of cable’s top-rated networks. HGTV’s website, http://www.HGTV.com , is the nation’s leading online home and garden destination that attracts an average of 5.4 million unique visitors per month. HGTV owns 33 percent of HGTV Canada and provides much of the Canadian network’s daily programming. The network’s branded programming also can be seen in 128 territories across all seven continents and its selected programming is available to service men and women on board Navy ships and through American Forces Radio & Television Service (AFRTS), which services more than 1,000 outlets in over 175 countries. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville and New York, HGTV is wholly owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP), which also operates Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America's communities. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal, the Trust was founded in 1949 and provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to protect the irreplaceable places that tell America’s story. Staff at the Washington, D.C. headquarters, six regional offices and 28 historic sites work with the Trust’s 270,000 members and thousands of preservation groups in all 50 states. For more information, visit the Trust’s web site at www.nationaltrust.org.
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