Judy and Dick Corson
Special Honors
For their generous support to initiate the inscription of eight Wright buildings on the UNESCO World Heritage List
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Current Honorees
Past Honorees
Celebrating the Wright Community
Introduced in 1991, the Wright Spirit Award recognizes efforts of extraordinary individuals and organizations that have preserved the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright through their tireless dedication and persistent efforts. Awards are presented in the categories Private, Public, Professional and Special Honors. The most recent past Wright Spirit Award honorees are listed below. Flip the toggle at the top of this page to view past honorees.
Nomination Process
2023 Awards Video
Honorees
Mary Roberts
Professional
For shepherding the $50 million restoration of the Martin House in Buffalo, New York
Keiran Murphy
Professional
For her in-depth research on the work of Frank Lloyd Wright
Jonathan Leck
Professional
For his preservation work and craftsmanship in the restoration of a dozen Frank Lloyd Wright buildings
Linda Eales
Professional
For guiding the transition of Samara, the John and Catherine Christian House in West Lafayette, Indiana, from private home to public site
Mark Donovan and Mary Ludgin
Private
For the restoration of the Goodrich House in Oak Park, Illinois
2022
JENNIFER N. PRITZKER, President & Chief Executive Officer, TAWANI Enterprises, Inc., Colonel (IL), IL ARNG (Retired) Special Honors For her leadership in supporting the Wright community, through philanthropy and the restoration of the Bach House
Carol JH Yetken, ASLA, CYLA Design Associates, Inc. Professional For her work to enhance the landscapes of Wright properties through both aesthetics and infrastructure
T. Gunny Harboe Professional For his strong focus on preservation architecture especially as applied to the work of Wright
Eifler & Associates, Architects Professional For its work on many Wright properties, which combine conscientious restoration and practical rehabilitation practices, including an emphasis on sustainable renovation
Laurent House Foundation Public For its commitment to preserving and sharing the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright and Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent
Glencoe Historical Society, Village of Glencoe, and Glencoe Park District Public For rescue of Booth Cottage
John Farneda and Stephanus Greeff Private Owners, Coonley House, south wing, Riverside, Illinois | For the rescue and restoration of the Coonley House, south wing
Patrick Schwarz and William Levy Private Owners, Mary Adams House, Highland Park, Illinois | For the comprehensive restoration and renovation of the Adams House
Gale and Eric Rothner Private Former owners, Alice and George Millard House, Highland Park, Illinois | For rescue, restoration and renovation of the Millard House
Jack Reed Private Owner, Glasner House, Glencoe, Illinois | For rescue, restoration and protection of the Glasner House
2021
Doug LaBrecque Private Owner, Meyer House, Galesburg, Michigan | For comprehensive restoration of the Meyer House
Wright Virtual Visits: Jeff Goodman, Heidi Ruehle and Eric Rogers Public For the development and execution of the Wright Virtual Visits program
Suzanne and Tom Miller Private Late owners, DeRhodes House, South Bend, Indiana | For rescue and restoration of the DeRhodes House
Marta Wojcik Professional For outstanding leadership as executive director & curator of the Westcott House, Springfield, Ohio
2020
David Romero Special Honors For his meticulous and evocative computer recreations of lost and unbuilt Wright buildings
University of Victoria Legacy Art Galleries Special Honors For the return of seven art glass windows in their collection to their original location in Martin House
Toshiko Mori Architect Professional Toshiko Mori, FAIA, Principal | As architect of the Martin House Visitor Center
Bayer Landscape Architecture Professional Mark H. Bayer, ASLA, Principal | As landscape architects for the Martin House landscape restoration
HHL Architects Professional Matthew W. Meier, AIA, Partner | As architects for the Martin House restoration
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Public For leadership and funding of the restoration of Martin House, Buffalo
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, State of New York Public For leadership and funding of the restoration of Martin House, Buffalo
The Office of the Governor, State of New York Public For leadership and funding of the restoration of Martin House, Buffalo
Susan and Jack Turben Private Owners, Staley House, North Madison, Ohio | For stewardship and succession planning for the Staley House
Michael Pinkus and Julie Wilsker Private Owners, Serlin House, Pleasantville, New York | For restoration of the Serlin House and leadership in the stewardship of the Usonia landscape
David and Joyce McArdle Private Owners, Fredrick House, Barrington Hills, Illinois | For restoration of the Fredrick House
2019
Janet and Van Korell Private Owners, Harvey P. Sutton House, McCook, NE
Ken and Carrie Cox Private Owners, Fawcett House, Los Banos, California
Tom and Heather Papinchak Public Owners, Polymath Park (Lindholm House)
Mitch O’Farrell Professional City of Los Angeles Councilman (Hollyhock House)
Mark Hertzberg Professional Author, photographer and Wright advocate
Henry Whiting II Special Honors Owner, Archie Teater Studio, Bliss, ID
Frank Lloyd Wright World Heritage Council Special Honors
2018
James Dennis Private Owner, Jacobs I House, Madison, Wisconsin
Gaines and Sharon Hall Special Honors B. Harley Bradley House, Kankakee, Illinois
Stafford Norris III Professional
UTP, LLC and Alphawood Foundation Public Restoration of Unity Temple
Lenhart and Ramsey Families Private Owners, Harold Price Jr. House, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
2017
Carole Ann Fabian Professional Director, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Columbia University
Janet Parks Professional Curator of Drawings and Archives, Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library (retired)
Barry Bergdoll Professional Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University; Curator, Department of Architecture and Design, The Museum of Modern Art
2016
Peter Maunu and Irmi Maunu-Kocian Private Owners of the Lamberson House (1948) in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for the thorough restoration of their Wright-designed house
Glencoe Historical Society Public This nonprofit organization strengthened Wright's legacy on the North Shore of Chicago with a year-long series of community events to celebrate the centennial of Wright's Ravine Bluffs neighborhood
John G. Thorpe (posthumous) Professional For decades of work as a restoration architect of Wright-designed houses and dedicated preservation advocate
Jeffrey Herr Special Honors For his tireless and far-reaching work on behalf of the newly restored Hollyhock House
William J. Schwarz, AIA Special Honors For championing solutions that have preserved the architectural integrity of the Wright-designed Marin County Civic Center building and site
2015
Eugene Szymczak Private Owner, Thomas Hardy House (1905), for his thorough restoration of the house
SC Johnson Public For its stalwart stewardship of its signature Wright-designed buildings, restoration and openingto the public of its Research Tower, and continued commitment to creating important architectural works
Joseph M. Siry Professional William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of the Humanities at Wesleyan University, for his 30-plus years of lecturing and publishing on Wright’s work
Glenn and Mary Schnadt Special Honors For their role in saving Wright’s A.D. German Warehouse and donating it back to the Richland Center community for restoration
Robert and Bonnie McCoy Special Honors For their leadership in the effort to save and fully restore Wright’s Stockman House, City National Bank and Park Inn Hotel, and other works by important architectural figures
2014
David and Gladys Wright House Foundation Private For purchasing the David and Gladys Wright House in Phoenix to restore and preserve the house
Greg Stanton, Mayor of Phoenix Public For his role as the mayor of Phoenix in the rescue of the David and Gladys Wright House
Grady Gammage, Jr. Professional Land use and real estate attorney, for being instrumental in the effort to preserve the David and Gladys Wright House by virtue of the wise legal counsel he gave based on an intimate understanding of the issues and players involved
Scott Jarson and Debbie Jarson Special Honors Founders of azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson, enthusiastic and effective preservation advocates without whose contributions the effort to save the David and Gladys Wright House may not have succeeded
Michael Kimmelman Special Honors Architecture critic for the New York Times, for exposing and explaining to the general public the greater social and political purposes of the design of urban spaces and built environments
Jim McPherson Special Honors President of the Arizona Preservation Foundation, for his instrumental efforts to save the David and Gladys Wright House as a member of the task force from its beginning
Wakanda Elementary School — Fifth Grade Team Special Honors Wakanda Elementary School’s Fifth Grade team of teachers—Anne Hasse, Sally Johnson, Brianna Berhow, and Jacob Schutte—championed by their principal Greg Corning and school superintendent, Christine Stratton, for their program “Breaking the Box: The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright”, which is a model for the ways in which a new generation, indeed a very young generation, can learn about, interpret, and later preserve, the work and legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright
Linda Botsford Conservancy Award Awarded by Executive Director Janet Halstead, for her volunteer role as longtime copy editor for SaveWright magazine
2013
Daniel and Dianne Chrzanowski Private Owners of the Dobkins House, for their restoration of the house
Dale Morgan and Norm Silk Private Owners of the Turkel House, for their thorough restoration of the house
Peter Rott Professional Principal, Isthmus Architecture, for his strong focus on preservation architecture especially as applied to the work of Wright
First Unitarian Society and Friends of the Meeting House Public For its extensive restoration work at Unitarian Meeting House over many years and its immensely successful public programming
2012
Steve Sikora and Lynette Erickson-Sikora Private
Wright on the Park Inc., The Board of Directors and Executive Director Ann MacGregor Public
Mary Jane Hamilton Professional
Jack Holzhueter Special Honors
2011
Jim Phaneuf and Jean Ida Hoffman Private
Allen House Foundation Public
The Kubala Washatko Architects (Tom Kubala, Allen Washatko) Professional
PrairieMod Special Honors
2010
Edith Payne Private
The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread Public
Donald Hallmark Professional
The Turner Foundation and John Landess Special Honors
2009
John and Kathleen Leigh Private
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Public
Martin House Restoration Corporation Public
Lauren Burge and Elizabeth Murphy Professional
Robert Loversidge and David Vottero Professional
Jan Scherubel Conservancy Award
2008
Lawrence and Sharon Tarantino Private
Price Tower Arts Center Public
T.K. McClintock Professional
Ennis House Foundation (Robert Leary and Steve McAvoy), Peter B. Lewis, Joan and T. Eugene Smith Special Honors
Keepers Preservation Education Fund Conservancy Award
2007
Dr. Annette Beyer-Mears Private
Indira Berndtson, Oskar Munoz and Margo Stipe, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives Public
David De Long Professional
Lynda S. Waggoner Special Honors
Barry Dyas Conservancy Award
2006
Ollie and Edie Adelman Private
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Public
Anthony Alofsin Professional
E. Thomas Casey Special Honors
Robert Kresse, Esq. Special Honors
C.J. “Pete” and Theodosea Silas Special Honors
Debbie Nemeth Conservancy Award
2005
John and Sue Major Private
Joanne Kohn, The Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park and the St. Louis County Government Public
Robert Silman Associates, P.C. Professional
Katherine and Maynard Buehler Special Honors
Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin Special Honors
Special Collections & Visual Resources Research Library, The Getty Institute Special Honors
2004
Dean and Ella Mae Eastman Private
City of Florence, Alabama Public
Stefan Nagel Professional
Cornelia Brierly Special Honors
Judith Bromley Special Honors
2003
Ed and Diana Baehrend Private
Marin County Public
Ezra Stoller Professional
Hillary Clinton Special Honors
2002
Barbara and Robert Elsner Private
Virginia Kazor Public
H. Allen Brooks Professional
Joel Silver Special Honors
2001
Virginia Lovness Private
Currier Gallery of Art/Zimmerman House Public
Kathryn Smith Professional
Blair Kamin Special Honors
2000
Mary and William Palmer Private
Florida Southern College Public
Raku Endo Special Honors
Sara Smith Special Honors
Bruce and Lynette Haines Mission Award
1999
Roland and Ronny Reisley Private
Graycliff Conservancy Public
Jack Quinan Professional
Preservation Magazine Special Honors
1998
Jeanette Fields Private
Architectural Digest Special Honors
John Christian
Maya Moran Manny
Vincent Scully
1997
Loren Pope Private
Yuko Hani and volunteers for Myonichikan Restoration Public
Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer Professional
House Beautiful Special Honors
Martin House Restoration Corporation/Barton House purchasers Special Honors
1996
Richard Carney
Eric Lloyd Wright
1995
Karen Johnson Boyd
Marshall Erdman
Samuel Johnson Special Honors
Edgar Tafel
1993
E. Fay Jones
Audrey Laatsch
Paul Mayan (for Kaufmann Office Restoration)
River City Society for Historic Preservation/Stockman House
Tom Schmidt
1992
James Thompson (former Governor of Illinois)
Katherine Jacobs
Pedro Guerrero
Carla Lind
1991
David Hunting (Vice-Chair of Steelcase)
Grant Carpenter Mason
Mildred Rosenbaum