Four West Michigan leaders will be honored for their community philanthropy and public service commitment to Grand Valley State University at the annual Grand Valley University Foundation Enrichment Dinner.
The Wednesday, June 1, dinner will honor the contributions of George and Barbara Gordon, Daniel J. Hurwitz and Margaret Sellers Walker. The event will be held at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids; a reception will begin at 6 p.m., dinner at 7. (Media note: photos of all recipients are available by calling News and Information Services at 616-331-2221.)
Enrichment Award George and Barbara Gordon will be named recipients of the Enrichment Award, recognized for their community philanthropy and commitment to Grand Valley. Honorees are inducted into the University Hall of Fame at the Enrichment Dinner.
George H. Gordon is a businessman whose hard work and success in the oil and gas industry is exceeded only by his passion for art, his attention to the natural world, and the generous nature that he and his wife, Barbara, share. After serving during World War II and earning the Silver Star, Gordon earned a business degree from Cornell University and succeeded as an entrepreneur in the oil and gas exploration and leasing industry.
A past member of the Grand Rapids Art Museum board, he is a keen and informed collector of art. The Gordon collection of paintings by Grand Rapids impressionist Mathias Alten, given to Grand Valley by the Gordons, is the largest known display of Altens in a public venue. Gordon is also a member of the GVU Foundation's Advisory Cabinet.
For more than 30 years, Barbara Gordon has devoted countless hours and provided financial support to infant and child care through the Junior Golden Rule Guild at Spectrum Health and through Camp Blodgett. She shares a passion for art with George, and is committed to the public display of art. She is a member of the Kent Garden Club and past trustee of Mayflower Congregational Church.
Leadership Award Daniel J. Hurwitz will receive the Leadership Award, given to honor of young leaders whose active commitment to public service, economic development, educational and cultural enrichment and whose ethical standards and integrity have contributed significantly to the quality of life in West Michigan.
Hurwitz serves on the GVU Foundation Board of Trustees and the Leadership Committee, for which he and his colleagues established the Community Leadership Scholarship. Other organizations that have benefited from his expertise include DeVos Children's Hospital Foundation, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Goodwill Industries, the Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids, Temple Emanuel and Young President's Organization.
Hurwitz is the founder of Daniel's, an upscale retailer for men and women, and Terrazzo, a retail complex with shops and dining.
Arend D. Lubbers Award
Margaret Sellers Walker will receive the
Arend D.Lubbers Award, established to honor longtime Grand Valley
faculty and staff for service to the community and university
As associate director of Grand Valley's Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership and retired Grand Valley associate professor, Sellers Walker leads the Johnson Center's leadership initiatives, develops programs for nonprofit leaders and teaches in the master's of public administration program.
She is active on numerous community boards including Fifth Third Bank, Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Clark Retirement Community, Hope Network Inc. and Spectrum Health.
Sellers Walker received the YWCA Tribute Award, the "Giants" W. W. Plummer Humanitarian Award, and the Women of Achievement and Courage Award presented by the Michigan Women's Foundation
