Project of the Year & Hawthorn Award of Excellence
Nominations for the 2026 Hawthorn Foundation Awards will be accepted from June 1 through June 26, 2026. Use the submission links below to nominate a person or project to be honored during the Governor’s Luncheon at the Governor’s Conference on Economic Development (presented by MEDC) on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City.
Hawthorn Award of Excellence
The Hawthorn Award of Excellence shall be presented to an individual who deserves recognition for their contribution to economic development and the promotion of the mission of Hawthorn Foundation, either at the state or local level. This person can be someone new to the field who stands out among peers or someone who has demonstrated a continued dedication over many years. The honored individual does not have to be an economic developer. Current members of the Hawthorn Executive Committee assist in the selection process and are therefore not eligible to receive this award.
Project of the Year
The Hawthorn Project of the Year shall be awarded to a new project within the state of Missouri from the prior fiscal year. In fitting with the mission of Missouri Partnership, attraction projects only will be considered. While we are interested in the quantitative measures of a project (jobs, investment) we are also interested in more qualitative measures such as community impact and coalitions working together.
Past Honorees
Marilyn Bush
Hawthorn Award of Excellence, 2025
Rob Dixon
Hawthorn Award of Excellence, 2024
Rudy Farber
Hawthorn Award of Excellence, 2023
Berkley Riverfront Project
Hawthorn Project of the Year, 2025
University of Missouri’s NextGen MURR
Hawthorn Project of the Year, 2024
American Foods Group
Hawthorn Project of the Year, 2023