Philanthropist, entrepreneur and civic leader David A. Jones meets the
Milner Award criteria many times over. Chairman of the Board of Humana Inc. and
its Chief Executive Officer from 1961 to 1997, Jones has supported the arts
personally and professionally for more than 27 years. He is a founding member
of the Kentucky Center for the Arts Endowment Fund Board, formed in 1980, and
the Jones' family and Humana Inc. contributed substantially to the funds raised
in the public campaign to build the center.
Jones' executive and board
leadership of Humana has created partnerships with many arts organizations in
the community and has provided millions of dollars in corporate sponsorships
locally and regionally. One of the best examples of his influence and
leadership was the establishment of an employee payroll deduction program that
annually raises in excess of $2 million for arts organizations such as Actors
Theatre of Louisville, Louisville Orchestra, Blue Apple Players, Louisville
Ballet, The Speed Museum, Louisville Bach Society, Chamber Music Society of
Louisville, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, and The Louisville Chorus.
Perhaps the most well known arts event supported by The Humana
Foundation is Actors Theatre of Louisville's annual Humana Festival of New
American Plays. The Humana Festival is the country's most famous and
influential forum for new scripts. Since the plays are first performed in
Louisville before they reach national and international stages, the city has
become known for cultivating artistic expression.
David A. Jones
believes that business and the arts are natural allies. They both flourish in a
stimulating atmosphere where taking risks is acceptable and where traditional
approaches are valued but regularly reevaluated and reworked. Jones' beliefs
are embodied in his prominent and generous support for the arts throughout his
life and set the gold standard for other individuals and corporations to
emulate.
Previous recipients: Governor Julian Carroll, Moritz Bomhard, Jon Jory, James Still, Wendell Cherry, Harriet Simpson-Arnow, Jean Ritchie, Anna L. Huddleston, Barry Bingham, Sr., Wendell E. Berry, Robert Penn Warren, Jesse Stuart, Harlowe Dean, Rude Osolnik, Lucille Little, Sherry Jelsma, Homer Ledford, Marilyn Moosnick, Alun Jones, Robert Bruce French, Roy P. Peterson, Crit Luallen, Donna S. Hall, Bill & Josephine D'Amato Richardson