2019 Baron Award to David Stuhr
Annual BARON AWARD Presentation
Spring Meeting, The Philadelphia Society, Renaissance Hotel, Chicago – March 29, 2019
Bob Russell (R) presents the 2019 Baron Award to David Stuhr (L)
What an honor to share with all of us here how today’s recipient of The Baron Award more than earned being unanimously selected to receive this honor for 2019.
I had the distinct pleasure and honor of working for 32 years – almost on a daily basis – with my great and abiding friend, John Von Kannon … Better known by most of us as simply … Baron!
The Baron Award came into being so that together, we all can recognize annually the Society’s member who most faithfully exemplifies, in word and deed, the good fellowship, personal loyalty, intellectual integrity and moral courage of our long-time colleague, Baron Von Kannon. The 2019 recipient of his namesake award most assuredly brings honor to Baron’s memory, just as his name will forever honor all members of the Society.
Today’s recipient of the Baron Award has more than earned being selected for this honor. How so? One word …. SERVICE … service that in many ways protected and saved the underpinnings of The Philadelphia Society from our founding back in 1965 and for several decades after that and then some. For all of us who have served on the Board and otherwise worked behind the Philly Soc scenes, we can attest to the title he so well deserves. As I recall, sometimes his good work engendered the title … SAVIOUR!
No wonder he was unanimously selected for this honor!
What many of us have learned through the years is that his service amazingly extended clear across America, a voluntary gift he has given literally to many, and particularly to young Americans. I’m speaking particularly of The Boy Scouts… as Assistant Scout Master, and Team Leader at your Boy Scout Troup, a capacity which saw you leading Scouts on trips across the country to Philmont Scout Ranch in the Southwest, purposely driving the young Scouts across America so they could absorb the greatness of our country and experience High Adventure at that wonderful Scout Ranch in Philmont, New Mexico.
Sir, you were especially honored – I believe the word was … “tapped” … to join Scouting’s Order of the Arrow. A rare honor with rare and very tough admission requirements! You brought the timeless Boy Scout Law to real life: “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. TWO! All Scouts know the meaning of “TWO,” in this usage.
What those car-loads of youngsters did not know over the years is that back at home you were doing a few other things … like developing the Palisades Historical Trail, Serving as President of the Fordham University Faculty Senate, performing an Economic and Financial Analysis for the Academy for Advanced Study in Banking, and spending more than just a little time as a close confidante of William F. Buckley. As a matter of fact, you were behind the scenes in proofing and editing Buckley’s “The Unmaking of a Mayor,” a short little book of 461 pages. I’ll let you explain the situation to those who may not be old enough to have suffered that event as we Buckley fans did!
As Americans, we enjoy saying, “We thank you for your service!! Indeed, we thank you, congratulations, and God Speed, always, David P. Stuhr, our 2019 recipient of The Philadelphia Society’s Baron Award. Please join me here at the podium so that all of us together can make our official presentation and offer our abiding thanks to you for your great Service to The Philadelphia Society.
Remarks delivered by Robert E. Russell