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 U.S. Senator John Heinz and the wife of for ...

, the

chairwoman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, 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 grou ...

of the Heinz Family Foundation, in honor of her late husband, U.S. Senator

H. John Heinz III Henry John Heinz III (October 23, 1938 – April 4, 1991) was an American businessman and Republican politician from Pennsylvania. Heinz represented the Pittsburgh suburbs in the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977 and ...

. 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 with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...

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 model of Earth, of some other celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but unlike maps, they do not distort the surface that they portray except to scale it down. A model glo ...

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 * Anony ...

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 chosen the candidates, the nominations are forwarded to a jury consisting of noted experts in each of the five 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.

Special Focus on the Environment

In 2009, in honor of the awards' 15th anniversary, an award for special focus on the

environment Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, all living and non-living things occurring naturally * Biophysical environment, the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism or ...

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

{{reflist, 2

External links

HeinzAwards.org
Awards established in 1993 Awards for contributions to culture Environmental awards Awards for contributions to society