WASHINGTON—The Heritage Foundation announced today it will present the prestigious Clare Boothe Luce Award to Thomas A. Saunders III, chairman of the Board of Trustees. The award is Heritage’s highest honor.
Saunders, who has served as the board’s chairman for nearly 10 years, will receive the award at Heritage’s annual President’s Club Meeting in October.
“We are so excited to present the Clare Boothe Luce Award to Tom. It is a recognition of his tremendous leadership and commitment to the conservative movement,” said Heritage President Kay Coles James. “Tom has skillfully led our Board of Trustees as chairman for nearly 10 years. We are grateful for his service and the vision he’s brought to Heritage.”
Past recipients of Heritage’s Clare Boothe Luce Award include President Ronald Reagan, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Lady Margaret Thatcher, Sen. Jesse Helms, Attorney General Edwin Meese III, and William F. Buckley Jr.
At Heritage’s board meeting today, Saunders announced he would be stepping down as chairman later this year. He will remain a member of the board. (Read his full statement.)
The Board of Trustees unanimously elected its current vice chairman, Barb Van Andel-Gaby, as its next chairman, effective later this year.
“It has been my privilege and honor to serve as chairman, and I look forward to remaining an active and engaged member of the Board of Trustees after I hand the gavel over to Barb,” Saunders said. “I take this step with great confidence knowing that we will have a stellar leadership team in place at Heritage with Barb as chairman, Kay Coles James as president, and Kim Holmes as the executive vice president. With these proven conservative leaders and experts at the helm, The Heritage Foundation will be in good hands.”
The Heritage Foundation is the nation’s most broadly supported public policy research institute, with more than a half-million donors. Founded in 1973, it develops and promotes public policy solutions that advance free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional values and a strong national defense.
