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By E&Y News Release
Huntsmans Receive 2001 E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Award
NEW YORK, NY -- Jon and Karen Huntsman, two of the world's leading
philanthropists, have been named this year's recipients of the 2001
National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award for
Principle-Centered Leadership, presented by the Franklin Covey Co. A
survivor of both mouth and prostate cancer, Jon Huntsman is
personally committed to finding a cure for cancer and relieving the
suffering it causes. After 25 years at the helm of a global chemical
company, Huntsman established the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the
University of Utah with $100 million. Last year, he and his family
donated another $125 million to help construct the Clinical Research
Hospital adjacent to the institute's research facility. Today, the
institute conducts cutting-edge cancer research, houses the largest
genetic database in the world, and takes a unique team approach that
could yield some of the most important scientific discoveries of our
time.
The Ernst &Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award for
Principle-Centered Leadership, instituted in 1997, recognizes
entrepreneurs who have achieved outstanding business results in a
deeply principled manner. It is presented by the Franklin Covey Co.,
a leading productivity, life management and leadership development
training company. The Huntsmans were honored at an awards gala -- the
world's largest gathering of entrepreneurs -- on Saturday, November
17 in Palm Springs, Calif. They were recognized along with national
Ernst &Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winners in eight other
categories. "Jon and Karen Huntsman are proof that one family can
make a difference," said Stephen R. Covey, vice chairman, Franklin
Covey Co. "Together, they have never wavered in their commitment to
alleviate suffering, and their significant contributions have not
only improved the lives of thousands of people today, but those of
future generations as well."
Behind the Philanthropy
Jon Huntsman founded the Huntsman Container Corporation in 1970,
beginning a successful career in which he would pioneer more than 80
innovative foam packaging applications, including the famous
"clamshell" sandwich container used by many fast food restaurants in
America today.
Since then, Huntsman Corporation has grown into North America's
largest privately held chemical company. Nearly 14,000 employees and
contractors around the globe work together to manufacturer more than
30 billion pounds of highly integrated products each year for the
chemical, plastics, detergent, personal care, automotive, high-tech,
health care, textiles, and packaging industries. Throughout the
years, Huntsman has made an effort to recognize his employees for
their contributions, striving to call each one of them by name and
recognizing their individual birthdays, anniversaries, and other
important life events to the greatest extent possible.
Mission Possible: Beat Cancer
Profits at the company are used to aptly compensate employees for
their efforts, but Huntsman also earmarks a significant portion to
help enrich the human soul and alleviate human suffering. An example
of this unconventional principle is the Huntsman Cancer Foundation,
by far the largest philanthropic project Huntsman and his family have
ever undertaken. Their gifts, totaling $225 million over five years,
promise to reduce the devastating burden of cancer faced by millions
of people each year, and represent a generosity of immense
proportions.
The mission of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, which is funded by the
Huntsman Cancer Foundation, is as follows: to understand cancer from
its beginnings; to use that knowledge in the creation and improvement
of cancer treatments; to relieve the suffering of cancer patients;
and to educate the public about cancer risk, prevention, and care. To
that end, the institute has initiated a number of programs and
services directed by Huntsman, including:
* the creation and continued development of the most comprehensive
genetic database in the world;
* a unique cooperative effort that brings together scientists and
clinicians for more efficient translation of scientific discoveries;
* the Cancer Learning Center, with one of the most extensive
collections of cancer-related materials in the U.S.;
* a cancer advisory program that provides individualized
consultations for cancer patients, their friends, and families;
* the Patient Care Center, where teams of doctors and health care
professionals work together to provide compassionate,
state-of-the-art care in an outpatient setting.
In addition, Huntsman has entered into a collaboration with the
Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City to form the
Huntsman Cancer Institute for Children. The center utilizes basic and
clinical research to develop new treatments for childhood cancer, and
combines the forces of researchers, educators, and pediatricians to
provide a comprehensive program.
About the Ernst &Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Program
The Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program was created and is
produced by professional services firm Ernst &Young to honor
outstanding entrepreneurs whose ingenuity and perseverance have
created and sustained successful growing business ventures. It is
sponsored nationally by USA Today, CNN, The Nasdaq Stock Market and
the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the Ewing
Marion Kauffman Foundation. In addition to the Principle-Centered
Leadership award, national award finalists and winners were honored
in eight other categories, including the following: Master
Entrepreneur Of The Year; Manufacturing Entrepreneur Of The Year;
Service Entrepreneur Of The Year; Real Estate/Construction
Entrepreneur Of The Year; Health Sciences Entrepreneur Of The Year;
Technology/Communication Entrepreneur Of The Year; Retail
Entrepreneur Of The Year; and Supporter of Entrepreneurship.
About Ernst & Young
Ernst &Young, a global leader in professional services, understands
the business issues that are important to senior executives. With
extensive business knowledge and hands-on industry experience, the
global Ernst &Young organization can implement a broad array of
solutions to help companies capture growth, improve financial
performance and manage risk -- anywhere in the world. Its 84,000
people serve as trusted business advisers in more than 130 countries,
offering audit, tax, corporate finance and transaction services
across all industries to many of today's leading global corporations
as well as emerging growth companies. In addition, legal services are
available in various parts of the world where permitted. A collection
of Ernst &Young's views on a variety of business issues can be found
at http://www.eyi.com/thoughtcenter .
Ernst &Young refers to all members of the global Ernst &Young
organization, including the U.S. firm of Ernst &Young LLP.
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