Golden Door Award

In each of the 30 years since its inception, the Golden Door Award has celebrated and honored a United States citizen of foreign birth who has made an outstanding contribution to American society through a life of reputation, accomplishment, and character. The award is conferred by the International Institute of Boston at its signal annual fundraising dinner, which attracts remarkable individuals from the sciences and the arts who gather to pay tribute to the recipient and acknowledge the crucial role of the International Institute – not just through their presence, but through their personal testimony. Similarly, sponsors of the event are able to support the Institute’s mission as they celebrate an individual of outstanding merit. Golden Door Award alumni include architect I.M. Pei; musical artists Yo-Yo Ma and Arthur Fiedler; scientists Laszlo Bonis and Arthur Loeb; entrepreneurs Lelio Marino and George Hatsopoulos, and a distinguished host of business leaders, philanthropists, and educators.

Golden Door Alumni

2007
Benjamin Zander
Boston Philharmonic Orchestra

2006
Dr. Kenan E. Sahin
Founder & CEO TIAX LLC

2005
Victor Dzau
Physician, scientist, humanitarian. Chancellor for Health Affairs at Duke University andresident and CEO of Duke University Health System, Inc.

2004
Alex d’Arbeloff
Hi-Tech Pioneer. Co-founder and Former CEO of Teradyne,Inc.

2003
Gabe Schmergel
Biotech pioneer. Former President and CEO of Genetics Institute, Inc.

2002
Orit Gadiesh
Business leader. Chairman of Bain & Company.

2001
Gururaj “Desh” Deshpande
High-tech pioneer. Co-founder and chairman of Sycamore Networks.

1999
Henri A. Termeer
Business leader. President, chairman, and CEO of Genzyme Corporation

1998
Lelio “Les” Marino
Entrepreneur. Founder and CEO of Modern Continental

1996
George N. Hatsopoulos
Entrepreneur. Founder and former chairman of Thermo Electron Corporation.

1994
Charles L. Schepens
Pioneering ophthalmologist. Founder and chairman emeritus of The Schepens Eye Research Institute.

1992
Farouk El-Baz
Space technology pioneer. Research Professor and Director of the Center for Remote Sensing at Boston University.

1989
Bernard Lown
Physician and Nobel prize winner. Founder and president of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.

1988
Yo-Yo Ma
World-renowned cellist and Grammy award winner.

1987
Arthur Loeb
Pioneer in the field of design science. Former researcher and lecturer at M.I.T.

1986
Thomas J. Flatley
Philanthropist and developer. President of the Flatley Company.

1985
Jill Ker Conway
Writer, educator, and administrator. Visiting scholar and professor at M.I.T.

1986
John D. Constable
Humanitarian and plastic surgeon. A member of the Committee of Responsibility
(physicians who treated war-damaged children in Vietnam).

1982
An Wang
Leader in the field of computer systems. Founder of Wang Laboratories.

1981
Gerhard Neumann
Pioneering aviation engineer. Assisted U.S. pilots during WWII.

1981
Laszlo J. Bonis
Pioneering materials scientist.

1979
Joseph Pellegrino
Business leader. Former chairman and CEO of Prince Macaroni Manufacturing Company.

1978
Humberto Cardinal Medeiros
Former leader of Boston’s Archdiocese.

1977
Charles Maliotis
Philanthropist and Greek community leader.

1976
Jean Mayer
International authority on nutrition and food policy. Former president of Tufts University.

1974
Gisela Wyzanski
Jewish community leader.

1973
Stephen P. Mugar
Business leader. Founder of the Star Market Company.

1972
Anthony Athanas
Business leader. Founder and President Anthony's Pier 4 Restaurants.

1971
Arthur Fiedler
Musician and conductor. Conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra for 50 years.

1970
I.M. Pei

Golden Door Award Gala

Golden Door Award

Golden Door Alumni