2016 Distinguished German-American of the Year
Philanthropist and Entrepreneur to be Honored at the 30th Council of 1000 & Fundraising Gala
GAHF announces Philip F. Anschutz as the 2016 Distinguished German-American of the Year
The German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® (GAHF) is delighted to announce that Mr. Philip Fredrick Anschutz, a prominent self-made entrepreneur, a generous philanthropist, and a descendant of Volga Germans, has been selected to receive the 2016 Distinguished German-American of the Year™. The award will be presented to Mr. Anschutz at the 30th Annual Council of 1000 Award and Fundraising Gala to be held on October 26, 2016 in Washington, DC.
GAHF is dedicated to preserving, educating and promoting the cultural heritage of Americans of German-speaking ancestry and to be a voice of German-Americans in cultural and public policy matters in the USA. It is a national membership organization through which Americans, proud of their German heritage and language, work together on vital issues of common concern.
The award, which GAHF has bestowed since 1987, provides national recognition for outstanding leadership, contributions and achievements by Americans of German-speaking ancestry in diverse areas of society, including business, science, politics, the arts and education.
“We are most pleased to honor Mr. Anschutz as this year’s Distinguished German-American. His noted accomplishments represent the spirit of German-American entrepreneurship, but more importantly his lifetime achievements in support of the arts, culture, and transatlantic relations embody the mission of our organization.”
A native of Russell, Kansas, Mr. Anschutz graduated from the University of Kansas in 1961 with a degree in business. He is owner of The Anschutz Corporation, based in Denver, Colorado. He is a governor of the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer and an executive member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
Mr. Anschutz is a committed philanthropist. He serves as chairman of the board of The Anschutz Foundation; is a trustee of The Kansas University Endowment Association; an emeritus trustee of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; a lifetime honorary trustee of The American Museum of Natural History, New York; and an alumnus member of the Smithsonian National Board, Washington, D.C. He has served on boards and committees of various charitable, civic, industry, and financial organizations.
It is the first time that a descendant of Volga Germans has received the Distinguished German-American of the Year Award™. Volga Germans are ethnic Germans who settled in the Volga River basin in Southeastern Russia beginning in the 18th century and who maintained their German customs and language throughout.
“I am thrilled to be the first Volga German descendant to receive this prestigious award recognizing the depth of contributions people of Germanic heritage have made to the United States,” stated Mr. Anschutz. “It will be an honor to play a role in advancing the work of the German American Heritage Foundation and its mission to preserve the history of Americans of German ancestry who helped build our nation.”
Mr. Anschutz’s grandfather, Carl Anschutz, was a Volga German who emigrated to the United States from Samara, Russia in 1878. In America, he became a businessman and investor. Mr. Anschutz’s great-grandfather, Christian Anschutz, was born in the same province in 1835.
Mr. Anschutz joins an impressive list of previous honorees, such as Doug Oberhelman, Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc., Helge Wehmeier, former CEO of the Bayer Corp., Bern DeichmannPaul Volcker, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, William Timken, Jr., former US Ambassador to Germany, and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, of Desert Storm fame.