September 26, 2013 Amb. Kenneth Quinn
On September 26, 2013, Ambassador Quinn presided at a press conference at which he announced the creation of a new award named in honor of former Iowa Governor Robert Ray. The World Food Prize Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award was established to commemorate Governor Ray's incredible humanitarian leadership in 1979 in which he led a statewide effort to rush life-saving food and medicine to the victims of the Cambodian Genocide that he had observed in desperate conditions in Thailand. At that time, Ambassador Quinn was a member of the Governor's staff and served as Executive Director of Iowa SHARES. The new Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Award is presented each year at the Iowa Hunger Summit organized by the World Food Prize in October. The Ambassador was particularly pleased that Governor Ray could be present for this announcement which brought renewed attention to the Governor's inspiring leadership on behalf of refugees. A number of former members of the Governor's staff were present for the event which took place in the Iowa Gallery of the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates on Governor Ray's 85th birthday. Governor Ray was seated in front of a painting by Rose Frantzen of Maquoketa which tells the story of the Iowa SHARES effort to save the lives of starving Cambodian victims of the Khmer Rouge.
