Former Recipients
2023 - Greg Bostwick, Meteorologist & SETx News Personality
2022 - Kerry & Belinda Trest, Business Owners & Community Volunteers
2021 - Ben G. Raimer, MD, MA, FAAP, President ad Interim, UTMB
2020 - Cecelia Flores, Tribal Council Chairperson of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas
2019 - Judge Delinda Gibbs-Walker, 1st District Court of Texas Judge
2018 - Judge Earl Stover III, 88th District Court of Texas Judge
2017 - Edward "Bubba" Miller, Minister & SHSU Rodeo Coach
2016 - Harold Estes, Business Leader & Philanthropist
2015 - David J. Waxman, Planning Consultant
2014 - Joe Penland, Philanthropist & Businessman
2013 - Mic Cowart, Entergy Customer Service Manager
2011 - Jim McReynolds, Texas House of Representatives, District 12
2009 - Chief Oscola Clayton M. Sylestine, Principal Chief of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas
2008 - Joe Folk, Retired Teacher, Superintendent, and Jasper County Judge
2006 - Howard Rosser, Executive Director of East Texas Tourism Association
2005 - Nick Lampson, Former Congressman
2004 - Evelyn Lord, Mayor of Beaumont
2003 - Lester Lowery, Retired Sawmill and Chipmill Owner
2002 - Dr. James M. Simmons, President of Lamar University
2001 - Joe Wesley Dickerson, M.D., Founder of Dickerson Memorial Hospital
2000 - Tom Harken, Business Leader, Speaker and Writer
1999 - James B. Hull, Director, State Forestor, Asst. Vice-Chancellor of Agriculture Programs
1998 - Walter Humphrey, Texas Attorney
1997 - Mike Moses, Texas Commissioner of Education
1996 - Horace McQueen, Broadcaster of Farm & Ranch News
1995 - Larry Beaulieu, Vice President and General Manager of KFDM-TV
1994 - Water Diggles, Executive Director of Deep East Texas Council of Governments
1993 - Dr. James Anderson Allums, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon
1992 - Allen Hightower, Jr., Texas House of Representatives, District 18
1989 - Charles T. Terrell, Chairman of the Texas Criminal Justice Task Force
1988 - James Henry "Red" Duke, M.D., TV Personality, Surgeon & Professor
1987 - Maury Meyers, Mayor of Beaumont
1986 - Bill Hobby, Lieutenant Governor of Texas
1985 - Louie Welch, Businessman & Former Mayor of Houston
1984 - Roy D. Shotts, Radio & Television Pioneer
1983 - C.L. "Charlie" Schmucker, Teacher, Banker & College Administrator
1982 - Francis E. Abernathy, Author, Folklorist & Professor of English
1981 - Joe L. Fisher, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District
1980 - Herbert E. Dishman, Business Leader & Philanthropist
1979 - Don Adams, Former State Legislator
1978 - Ben Rogers, Philanthropist & Businessman
1977 - Price Daniel, Former Governor of Texas & Texas Supreme Court Justice
1976 - Ralph Steen, President of Stephen F. Austin State University
1975 - Ralph Ramos, Journalist & Author
1974 - Charles Wilson, U.S. Congressmen, District 2
1973 - Edward Clark, Former Ambassador to Australia
1972 - John Gray, President of Lamar University
1971 - Allan & Marialice Shivers, Former Governor & First Lady of Texas
1970 - Arthur Temple, President of Temple Eastex Corporation
1969 - Arliegh Brantley Templeton, President of Sam Houston State University
1968 - Glenn E. Richard, Chairman of the Board, Gulf States Utilities Co.
1967 - O.R. Crawford, General Manager of Wothwestern Timber Company