The Pat K. Harwood Award for Distinguished Service is the highest award given by IACI in recognition of an Idaho business person’s contribution to the future of Idaho’s business environment. We select someone who has exemplified leadership, courage, a sense of humor, political wisdom and integrity in several decades of service to and on behalf of businesses in the state.
This annual IACI award is named in honor of Pat Harwood, who served 10 years (1976-86) as the association’s president and is generally credited with creating IACI’s successful system for lobbying on behalf of the Idaho business community. Harwood retired in 1986 for health reasons and passed away in 1997. Before joining the IACI staff in 1974, Harwood served in Idaho’s House of Representatives in the 1960s. He was prominently involved in the controversial, but ultimately successful, effort to launch Idaho’s first-ever sales tax in 1970.
Prior Award Recipients (by year):
1993 – PAT HARWOOD himself, the year the award was created in his honor
1994 – JIM McCLARY, Boise, former CEO of Morrison-Knudsen Co. and the only one ever to serve three terms as IACI chairman
1995 – JOHN CLUTE, former Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Boise Cascade Corp.
1996 – LLOYD HAIGHT, retired Chief Legal Counsel for the J. R. Simplot Co. in Boise
1997 – J. KIRK SULLIVAN, retired Vice President for Governmental & Environmental Affairs, Boise Cascade Corp., and founding partner of Veritas Advisors LLP
1998 – LARRY KISSLER, Chairman of the Board of Norco in Boise
1999 – L. N. (BUD) PURDY, Owner-operator of Picabo Livestock in Picabo
2000 – TOM WILFORD, President/Director, J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation in Boise
2001 – F. EDWARD OSBORNE, Boise, retired Ore-Ida Foods executive and founding father of IACI
2002 – ART BROWN, Hecla Mining Co., Coeur d’Alene
2003 – LARRY COPE, President of Clear Springs Foods in Buhl
2004 – HATCH BARRETT, President of Trebar, Inc.
2005 – TED ELLIS, former Chairman of the Board of Key Bank of Idaho
2006 – BRAD LITTLE, Partner in Little Farm & Ranch; member of Idaho State Senate; and STEVE AHRENS, retiring IACI President
2007 – FRED ZERZA, retired Vice President, J. R. Simplot Company
2008 – CHARLIE CLARK, Director of Public Affairs, Union Pacific Railroad
2009 – WILLIAM C. GLYNN, President, Petroglyph Energy & Intermountain Industries, and former President, Intermountain Gas Co.
2010 – WILLIAM (BILL) RODEN, Of Counsel, Hopkins Roden Crockett Hansen & Hoopes PLLC
2011 – GREGORY S. CASEY, President, BIPAC, and former IACI President
2012 – GUY HURLBUTT, College of Western Idaho Trustee and retired Vice President of Public Policy & Environment, Boise Cascade Corp.
2013 – J. LAMONT KEEN, President and CEO, Idaho Power Company
2014 – RANDALL NELSON, Retired President, Associated Taxpayers of Idaho
2015 – JIM SCHMIT, Vice President, CenturyLink
2016 – MARK DUNN, VP, Government Affairs, J.R. Simplot Co.
2017 – MARK BENSON, Vice President, Public Affairs, PotlatchDeltic
2018 – TRENT CLARK, Director, Public & Gov’t Affairs, Monsanto
2019 – ALAN PROUTY, Vice President, Sustainability & Regulatory Affairs, J.R. Simplot Company
2020 – (no award given)
2021 – MIKE REYNOLDSON, Vice President of Public Affairs, Blue Cross of Idaho.
2022 – SCOTT MADISON, Executive Vice President, Intermountain Gas
2023 – BRENT OLMSTEAD, Assistant Dean of Government and External Relations, University of Idaho