Much of the gift industry is packing their bags, bound for the New York International Gift Show this weekend, in many cases, wrapping up the summer show season. Before we all take off for the airport, though, a little fanfare is due one of our own—Peter Schauben, first recipient of the ICON Industry Stewardship Honor.
Before you watch the video (below), read the introduction they gave Peter. Really puts into perspective what an incredible person he is, and how his decision to start Gift for Life built bridges and created change:
Uniting a fragmented industry fueled by competitive posturing and cautious of collaboration is not for the feint of heart. When the catalyst for change is a dreaded disease threatening that industry’s creative soul, the task would seem impossible.
But impossible was not an option eighteen years ago when the dream of an industry united in response to the tyranny of AIDS emerged in one lone cry for action. Soon though, that solo voice was joined by many. Then, an industry longing for a way to take on a dreaded adversary turned its collective energies toward compassion.
Slowly and steadily, the cause captured the hearts and minds of people moved to action in common purpose against a common enemy. The army rallied under one flag—Gift for Life, its Commander-in-Chief, Peter Schauben.
Early on in the emergence of the AIDS crisis, Peter realized its devastating toll on the gift industry. He decided to change that by starting Gift for Life, a partnership between the gift, and home, and stationery industries to raise funds to support AIDS education and research.
Peter recalls, and I quote, “AIDS was new and scary. it was devastating to our industry. They were our friends, and our colleagues. We had to recognize that impact and do something.”
“Today, AIDS has a whole different face and is a world-wide health crisis. I just thought it’d be cool if, as an industry, we came together to fight against its devastating consequences.”
Now, eighteen years later, Gift for Life is still going strong, and Peter is still its chief champion. To date, Gift for Life has raised more than $4 million in AIDS research and education initiatives.
For his unwaivering support of Gift for Life. his selfless contributions, and the respect given him across the gift industry landscape, we now confer the inaugural ICON Industry Stewardship Honor to Mr. Peter Schauben.
Now…click on play to hear Peter’s acceptance speech.
On behalf of the entire GFL Board of Directors, we couldn’t be more proud, more humbled, and more touched by what this kind man has done to push AIDS out of our industry and off the map. Pretty extraordinary stuff.
(And by “extraordinary,” we’re also referring to the fact Peter changed out of jeans for the week, which is, in its own right, pretty amazing.)
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