2008 Individual Leadership Award Winner:

John Parr

John Parr was one of America?s foremost counselors in the area of collaborative government and citizen involvement.

He served as the president and CEO of the Alliance for Regional Stewardship, coordinating and leading efforts to advance regional agendas across the United States.       

Parr was also co-founder and principal of Civic Results ? formerly the Center for Regional and Neighborhood Action (CRNA) ? a Denver-based nonprofit that brings energetic urban neighborhoods to the table in collaborative regional strategies to improve the quality of life of all residents.

From 1985-1995, Parr gained renown as the innovative leader of the century-old National Civic League (NCL), America?s premier organization working to improve local and state government and promote a strong role for citizens. At NCL, Parr ushered in such projects as the Healthy Cities Program and the Alliance for National Renewal, and developed the concept of civic infrastructure and the civic index as a measuring tool for communities.

Parr lectured at the Graduate School of Public Affairs of the University of Colorado at Denver. He has also taught in programs at Harvard, MIT, UCLA and the University of Denver. Parr?s articles appeared in publications ranging from the University of Chicago Policy Review to The Consensus Building Handbook.

Parr was active nationally as a Fellow of the National Academy for Public Administration, chair of the Pew Civic Entrepreneur Initiative, a trustee of the Institute for the Regional Community, and a commissioner of the Denver Urban Renewal Authority.

In testimonials appearing on the Denver Post website, colleagues and friends have described John as a domestic diplomat, a conciliator, a superb strategist, a power in both politics and civic life who never made much noise about himself. He was content to make things happen for others.

A native of Denver, Parr loved the Rocky Mountains and enjoyed spending time with his beloved wife, journalist Sandy Widener, and their two daughters Chase and Katy.  John, Sandy and Chase were killed December 22, 2007 after their car was hit by a tractor-trailer on an icy road near Rawlings, Wyoming.  Katy survived the accident.

2008 Individual Leadership Award Winners:

• John Parr
• Joan Riehm

2008 Organizational Champion Winners:

• Bemidji Leads
• Graduate Philadelphia

2008 Organizational Champion Finalists:

• Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber/Corridor Transportation Corporation
• Greater Washington Board of Trade
• Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation
• Regional Transportation Alliance

Alliance for Regional Stewardship
Alexandria VA 22304     
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