from staff
OneJax, has announced the recipients of its 2008 Humanitarian Awards. The OneJax Humanitarian Awards honor those who have demonstrated the highest level of personal and professional integrity, have given generously and extensively to the Jacksonville-area community, and have been dedicated to the improvement of human relations among diverse groups in the community.
Through education, community building and advocacy, OneJax hopes to make Northeast Florida a better place for everyone by celebrating differences and identifying what area residents have in common.
Michael Munz, executive vice president of the Dalton Agency, and Ed Burr, former CEO of LandMar and past chair of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, have been named co-chairs of the 2008 Humanitarian Awards Dinner, which is set for April 29, 2008 at the Hyatt. Munz and Burr will lead the effort to generate support for the dinner, one of the primary fundraising efforts conducted by OneJax.
“We are thrilled with this coming year’s honorees and are grateful to have accomplished community leaders like Michael Munz and Ed Burr serving as Co-Chair for this year’s dinner,” said Phil Mobley, chair of the OneJax Board of Directors. “The 2008 Humanitarian Awards Dinner will mark the 38th anniversary of the event and OneJax is having a greater impact than ever before on promoting respect and understanding among people of different religious, racial, ethnic and cultural differences.
“Our honorees embody the spirit of this commitment and I expect the event to be a very special celebration.”
Recipients of this coming year’s awards are:
• Gertrude Peele, president & CEO of Carthage Chapel Funeral Home, Inc. and community advocate, will be honored with the Gold Medallion, an infrequently bestowed award that recognizes those who have had an extraordinary impact on their communities over their lifetime. Peele was the recipient of a Silver Medallion in 1995 and has continued working on behalf of the Northeast Florida community in an exceptional manner since then.
• Michael J. Korn will receive the Silver Medallion award. Korn, a partner in the Korn & Zehmer law firm, has a long history of involvement and a record of leadership in the community. Korn currently serves as chair of the Non-Profit Center of Northeast Florida; is the immediate past chair of United Way of Northeast Florida’s Board of Directors, continues to serve on United Way’s Board of Trustees and Chairs United Way’s Life: Act 2 Partnership Council.
• In addition to the award winners, OneJax has named Dr. James N. Burt, as a President’s Citation Honoree this year. Burt is the third individual ever to receive this award, intended to honor those who generously give back to the community after a lifetime of service. Dr. Burt is a retired urologist and a medical philanthropist, active in community affairs and professional advocacy for the medically underserved. He is also a co-founder of Volunteers in Medicine, a Downtown walk-in health clinic that serves those without health insurance.
• Deborah Pass will be honored with the Acosta-Rua Young Professionals Award. This award, also being presented for the third time, recognizes young professionals who are already making a significant impact on strengthening the community through their time, talent and treasure. Pass is president of ATS Group, a staffing and executive recruiting organization with 32 offices located in six states. She was one of the founders.