Untours Honored as the Most Generous Company In America
Paul Newman, Hal Taussig andJ.F. Kennedy, Jr.
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In 1999, Untours was awarded the Newman’s Own/George Award by Paul Newman and John F. Kennedy, Jr., for having the "Most Generous Company In America". Hal and Norma Taussig, owners of Untours, donate nearly all of their company’s profits to the Untours Foundation. The foundation in turn provides low-interest loans to projects that create jobs, build low-income housing, and promote Fair Trade. (Fair Trade certification guarantees that producers of coffee and other goods receive a fair price and that land is farmed in a sustainable way.) The Newman’s Own/George Award included $250,000, which Hal and Norma donated to the foundation.
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On May 20, 1999, George Magazine issued the following press release:
Newman's Own/George Award Announces the Winner of
the Most Generous Comany in America
Idyll, Ltd., of Media, Pennsylvania,
is the recipient of the second annual Newman's
Own/George Award for corporate philanthropy. The
announcement was made today by Newman's Own President
Paul Newman and George President and Editor-in-Chief John
Kennedy.
The award for the Most Generous Company in America was
presented on May 19 in New York City at a reception at
the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House. The ceremony
was sponsored by Sony Electronics. The Girls Choir of
Harlem performed at the ceremony.
Idyll, Ltd. and its president, Hal Taussig, received the
Newman's Own/George Award for helping create jobs and
rebuild neighborhoods. The travel-industry company
creates personalized vacation packages for travelers who
want in-depth, culturally enriching holidays, offering
minimum two-week stays in apartments throughout the
world. All of the profits are donated to the company's
charitable foundation. Those monies are funneled into a
low-interest lending program, where individuals and small
businesses can apply for start-up funds. In return, the
borrower must adhere to the foundation's goals of
creating jobs among the hard-core unemployed and
assisting with low-cost housing in decaying urban
centers.
"Idyll's giving is creative in every sense of the
word - their low-interest loans literally create jobs
among the hard-core unemployed and housing in decaying
urban centers," Paul Newman says.
"It's not necessary that the companies give away 100
percent of their profits. The message of this award is
the idea that investing in the community makes good
business sense," John Kennedy said.
Idyll, Ltd., was chosen from a group of more than 400
nominated American companies. They were selected by a
distinguished committee of individuals from the public
and private sectors, including General Norman
Sehwarzkopf, Marvin Davis, Marian Wright Edelman,
Philippe de Montebello, Clifton Wharton, Joanne Woodward,
Paul Newman, and John Kennedy.
Nine other companies were honored for their philanthropic
endeavors, which touched the lives of countless members
of their communities. They are The Longaberger Company;
of Newark, Ohio; Give Something Back Business Products of
Oakland, California; The Home Depot, of Atlanta Georgia;
Byers' Choice LTD., of Chalfont, Pennsylvania; Coborn's
Inc., of Saint Cloud, Minnesota; BellSouth-Florida, of
Miami Florida; Experimental and Applied Sciences, of
Golden, Colorado; MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon Networks, of New
York, New York; Kenneth Cole Productions, of New York,
New York.
For its philanthropic work, Idyll, Ltd., will receive a
$250,000 check from the Newman's Own/George Award to be
given to the charity of its choice.
With a circulation of more than 400,000, George offers
nonpartisan coverage of politics and pop culture. Paul
Newman donates all of his after-tax profits from Newman's
Own for charitable and educational purposes.
Pomellato, the Italian jewelry company, created the 10
sculpted silver-and -gold awards for the evening.
