Press
New York, NY (October 28, 2009) – GQ is proud to announce the five pillar honorees for the 2009 Gentlemen’s Ball, an evening to benefit the four charity partners –with a special performance by Q-Tip and Kid Cudi. GQ is proud to honor; Kristen Berry, Conservation; Master Sergeant William “Spanky” Gibson, Integrity; Don Rodman, Leadership; and Yehuda Berg, Education.
In the Better Men Better World Search, from 400 applicants, GQ selected five nominees; Murray Fisher, John Piano, Barton Brooks, Ethan Zohn and Nic Lumpp. With an nearly 100,000 on-line votes, GQ is proud to announce the winner, John Piano.
BETTER MEN, BETTER WORLD SEARCH
The 2009 Better Men, Better World Search, is an integral component of the overall The Gentlemen’s Fund platform. GQ was looking forward to the search expanding in its second year. GQ asked readers to nominate an agent of change striving for the betterment of society through charitable work, volunteerism, and/or community involvement–someone who is working hard to make this a better world. GQ selected the five best submissions as finalists and readers determined the winner by popular vote. In addition to being honored at The Gentlemen’s Ball tonight the winner will have $10,000 donated toward the accredited charity of his choice receive $2,000 cash, and be featured in the pages of GQ.
WINNER JOHN PIANO
Driven by his passion to contribute to society in a more meaningful way, Piano walked away from prior successes in law, entertainment, and technology to take on the problem of organ donation shortage.
In 2003, Piano created Transplant Connect—an organization dedicated to expediting and increasing the availability of organs and tissue for transplant. Transplant Connect now enables 12,000 – 14,000 life-saving organ transplants each year. Piano is focused on enabling transplants for burn victims, amputees, and the seriously injured as well as the 10 million people worldwide whose blindness can be cured through corneal transplantation.
Transplant Connect also works with numerous states to create online donor registries, and Piano continues his advocacy work to encourage everyone to sign up as a donor. One single donor can save up to 8 lives and can directly improve the lives of up to 50 people.
Kristen Berry – Conservation Pillar honoree selected by Oceana for Nautica. Berry, a world-class sailor and environmentalist, began a partnership with Oceana in 2008 as the commodore of the Ocean Conservation Yacht Club (OCYC), an Oceana platform and virtual yacht club devoted to promoting ocean conservation. Through Berry’s leadership, the OCYC has engaged thousands of sailors at high-profile regattas around the country.
Despite being born far from the ocean in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Berry has always gravitated toward the water. Berry owns and operates Gale Force Sailing; competes in World, U.S., and North American sailing championship events; and coaches at JWorld Annapolis, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the National Capital High School Racing Program, an alternative educational and physical fitness program for at-risk students in Washington, D.C.
Berry’s commitment to ocean conservation extends beyond the sailing world as well. Berry helped raise over $2,000 for Oceana’s conservation work through his participation in the 2009 Nautica New York City Triathlon.
Berry has previously served as president of BirdPAC, a political action committee dedicated to bird conservation, and as director of Communications and Grassroots Manager of The National Audubon Society. Berry is a man of many talents, and Oceana is thankful that he dedicates so many of them toward protecting the world’s oceans.
Master Sergeant William “Spanky” Gibson – Integrity Pillar honoree selected by Pat Tillman Foundation for Ketel One vodka. After losing his left leg to a terrorist sniper’s bullet, in 2006 while serving in Iraq, U.S. Marine Corps Master Sergeant William “Spanky” Gibson endured months of difficult rehabilitation and rigorous physical therapy. While recovering from his amputation, MSgt Gibson resolved to begin training for triathlons, and in 2007, he competed in the Escape from Alcatraz Swim.
There, he met Marine General James Mathis. Upon meeting General Mathis, Gibson’s only request was redeployment to Iraq, making him the first-ever above-the-knee amputee to be redeployed to the front lines.
After his second deployment, Gibson earned an opportunity to become the first enlisted congressional military legislative fellow. MSgt Gibson currently works for Congressman Steve Buyer, the ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. With this opportunity, MSgt Gibson and his family moved from Oklahoma to Washington, D.C., where he is now enrolled at the University of Maryland University College studying psychology—a course of study, which will supplement his work with other disabled veterans.
Don Rodman - Leadership Pillar honoree selected by The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation for Gillette. Rodman is president of the Rodman Ride for Kids, an umbrella gift-matching charity that raises funds for child-related social service agencies in Massachusetts. The Ride for Kids and its 25 benefiting agencies fundraise year-round, culminating with a 25-, 50-, or 100-mile non-competitive cycling tour. Included in the Ride For Kids programs are two other initiatives, as well: The Marilyn Rodman Theatre For Kids, which has sent 30,000 at-risk kids to live theatre performances for the past four years, and Disney For Kids, which sends 100 at-risk kids to Disney World in Orlando, FL, every year. Since its inception in 1991, the Ride for Kids has raised over $43 million.
Rodman has been the recipient of countless awards recognizing his philanthropy. He is an honorary graduate of Boston English High School, and has received honorary doctorate degrees from Suffolk University, University of Massachusetts Boston, Stonehill College, and Curry College. In 1993, Rodman was proclaimed a Knight by Pope John Paul II and elected a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory The Great for his many charitable deeds.
Yehuda Berg – Education Pillar honoree selected by Ashton Kutcher for UNICEF and HP. Berg, a renowned authority on Kabbalah, has often been touted as “the people’s kabbalist.” He serves as an advisor to many thought leaders around the world and greatly enjoys working with what some people may consider the fringes of society. Berg believes transforming our negativity is the key to unlocking our greatest blessings. In 2007, Newsweek named Berg one of the top five rabbis in the United States. Berg is a best-selling author whose books—The Power of Kabbalah, which has been translated into 13 languages, and The 72 Names of God—have sold more than half a million copies. His forthcoming book, Kabbalah: The Power to Change Everything, is a call to social action.
Additionally, Berg is co-director of Kabbalah Centre International, the leading spiritual and educational organization dedicated to bringing the wisdom of Kabbalah to all the people of the world. The Kabbalah Centre has existed for more than 80 years, but its spiritual lineage extends back to the 16th century, and even further to the revelation of the Zohar, more than 2,000 years ago. About The Gentlemen’s Fund: Established in 2007 by GQ to commemorate its 50th anniversary, The Gentlemen’s Fund encourages men to find opportunities to give back. The initiative supports non-profit organizations which link to several pillars that GQ considers important to men. The Gentlemen’s Fund seeks to encourage individuals to become agents of change and contribute to charities that champion these causes.
About GQ Magazine: GQ is the leading men’s general-interest magazine with a monthly readership of 6.3 million readers. The magazine is published by Condé Nast Publications.
