ICDA's History

The International Congress of Distinguished Awards (ICDA) was the outgrowth of an informal gathering of twelve award directors from across the United States in December, 1991, at the headquarters of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Sensing the need to create an ongoing forum for the exploration of issues relating to award giving and the nature of the world of awards, several of these directors designed and incorporated ICDA in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a not-for-profit 501(c)3 educational corporation in March, 1994. ICDA headquarters have been in Philadelphia, PA, USA, from the beginning.

ICDA's Mission is to:

  • Identify and promote the world's most distinguished awards;
  • Serve as a clearing house for information on awards, prizes, fellowships, peer awards, and competitions for excellence anywhere in the world;
  • Present an annual forum where directors, trustees, and donors may gather to discuss issues of common concern in the "World of Awards";
  • Maintain a database, website, and other resources for disseminating information about awards and award programs;
  • Research and publish timely reports on important awards, trends in award giving, and vital aspects of the world of awards;
  • Compile and issue annually the world's only Official Roster of Distinguished Awards--a reliable digest of important awards;
  • Provide introductory training and advanced exploration for individuals working in the world of awards;
  • Assist editors, publicists, and other observers to better understand the $2 billion "industry" that is the world of awards.

ICDA Officers

  • Dr. Larry E. Tise, President, International Congress of Distinguished Awards
  • John R. Hocker, Vice President, National Medals of Science and Technology
  • Carol J. Bream, Vice President, Canada Council for the Arts
  • Mary G. Gregg, Secretary/ Treasurer, The Philadelphia Liberty Medal

ICDA Directors

  • Dr. Jerome Walker
  • Don Casey, Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Award
  • Darlene Cavalier, Discover Magazine Award
  • Victoria Downing, The Kilby International Awards
  • Judy Miller, Hilton Humanitarian Prize
  • Nona Shepard, Enrico Fermi and Lawrence Awards
  • Judith Shellenberger, Christopher Columbus Foundation Awards