2023 Silver Cup Award Luncheon

Honorees: Sharon Young and Steve Penrose
Thursday, April 25, 2024 – 12:00 p.m.
The Omni Dallas

Celebrated annually, the TACA Silver Cup Award recognizes two individuals for their outstanding volunteer leadership and contributions to the arts in North Texas. The TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon serves as a unique opportunity to honor these individuals and gather the region’s civic and cultural leaders, patrons, and volunteers in support of distinguished leadership and volunteerism in the arts.

2023 Silver Cup Award Recipients

Sharon Young

Sharon Young co-founded Quadrant Capital Partners, Inc., a real estate investment firm, along with her husband, Michael.  She has been involved in the arts community in Dallas for over 20 years, serving as a Trustee at the Dallas Museum of Art; as a member of The Advisory Board of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts; and of the Nasher Sculpture Center’s Program Advisory Council.  Her service at the Dallas Museum of Art has included chairing the Art Ball and TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art and serving on multiple DMA committees.  At Booker T., Sharon co-chaired the opening fundraiser of the newly renovated and expanded building, served on the school’s Advisory Committee for 12 years, and was a co-founder of Flyinghorse, the annual talent showcase and fundraiser.   

Currently, Sharon Young serves as the Chair of the Program Advisory Council at the Nasher Sculpture Center and is a former co-chair of the Nasher Prize.  She also previously served on the Planned Parenthood North Texas board, as Treasurer and Chair of the Administrative Management Committee. Sharon and Michael share three children and four grandchildren.

Steve Penrose

Dr. Stephen B.L. ‘Steve’ Penrose retired from Exxon Mobil Corporation, where he spent 33 years in financial and general management roles in corporate affiliates in the United States and abroad.  A lifelong supporter of the arts, Dr. Penrose is a member of the Boards of the Dallas Opera, which he has served as Treasurer (2017-2023) and Chair of the Audit Committee (2015-2017); the Dallas Theater Center Endowment Fund, which he served as Board President; the Dallas Opera Foundation; the Presbyterian Village North Foundation; the Dallas Zoological Society, which he served as Treasurer (2009-2018); and Dallas CASA, a nonprofit agency advocating for abused and neglected children in the Dallas court system, which he served as Treasurer (2007-2010, 2012-2018) and Board Chair (2010-2011).  He has also served as a Trustee of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 2013. 

Dr. Penrose was married to the late Eleanor Ford Penrose for 44 years.  He has two children and three grandchildren.   

2023 Silver Cup Award Luncheon

Honorees: Gene Jones and Joseph Hubach
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 – 12:00 p.m.
The Omni Dallas

Celebrated annually, the TACA Silver Cup Award recognizes two individuals for their outstanding volunteer leadership and contributions to the arts in North Texas. The TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon serves as a unique opportunity to honor these individuals and gather the region’s civic and cultural leaders, patrons, and volunteers in support of distinguished leadership and volunteerism in the arts.

2023 Silver Cup Award Recipients

Gene Jones

Gene Jones has spent a lifetime in the pursuit of helping others. Under Gene’s enthusiastic direction, the Jones Family has taken a major leadership role in their involvement with The Salvation Army at the local and national levels. She also played a key role in the design and construction of AT&T Stadium in Arlington—the Dallas Cowboys home. Gene’s vision and commitment to the arts are responsible for the Dallas Cowboys Art Collection, which includes 93 paintings, sculptures, and photographs by 63 artists, including 118 specially commissioned pieces: world renowned contemporary at AT&T Stadium and The Star in Frisco.

A dedicated supporter of the arts, Mrs. Jones is a member of the Board of Directors for the Dallas Museum of Art, AT&T Performing Arts Center, and the Texas Cultural Trust Board. Her community service and support also include the Southern Methodist University Board of Trustees; co-chair of the executive board for the Meadows School for the Arts; The Board of Directors for the John G. Tower Center for Political Studies at SMU; George W. Bush Institute Woman’s Initiative Advisory Council; Children’s Medical Center of Dallas Board of Trustees; National Leadership Co-Chair of the Medal of Honor Museum and Monument Project, and an involved member of Sweetheart Ball.

Gene is the mother of three successful children – Stephen, Charlotte and Jerry, Jr. – and the proud grandmother of nine. Gene’s husband, Jerry, has been the owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys since 1989.

Joseph Hubach

Joe Hubach is the retired Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Texas Instruments, having worked at TI for more than 30 years. Joe and his wife, Colleen O’Connor, have long been dedicated supporters of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO). Joe has been on the Executive Board of the DSO’s governing association since 2010 and served a four-year term as Chairman of the Board ending in the fall of 2017.  

Joe has also served on the Board of Directors of the Dallas Symphony Foundation since 2018. In addition, he serves as a trustee of the Eugene McDermott Foundation, the private foundation based in Dallas established by TI founder Eugene McDermott and his wife Margaret McDermott, which provides critical financial support for arts and culture, education, and general community interests. Joe is also a member of the Executive Board of the Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts. 

2022 Silver Cup Award Luncheon

Honorees: Jennifer Burr Altabef and Larry Angelilli
Thursday, April 21, 2022 – 12:00 p.m.
The National at Thompson Dallas

Celebrated annually, the TACA Silver Cup Award recognizes two individuals for their outstanding volunteer leadership and contributions to the arts in North Texas. The TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon serves as a unique opportunity to honor these individuals and gather the region’s civic and cultural leaders, patrons, and volunteers in support of distinguished leadership and volunteerism in the arts.

2022 Silver Cup Award Recipients

Jennifer Burr Altabef
A civic volunteer who currently serves as the chair of the Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts Executive Board and the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Dallas Theater Center, Jennifer Burr Altabef is also a member of the Board of Trustees of SMU.

Altabef is the immediate past chair of the Board of Directors of North Texas Public Broadcasting (KERA), and also serves on the boards of the NPR Foundation, AT&T Performing Arts Center, Global Fund for Children, and Big Thought. She is a previous chair of the Dallas Zoological Society and SMU’s University Libraries Executive Board.

A recipient of Southern Methodist University’s Distinguished Alumni Award, she will receive Texas Appleseed’s Good Apple Award jointly with her husband in November 2021. Ms. Altabef is a member of Charter 100 in Dallas. Before devoting herself full-time to civic and philanthropic involvement, Ms. Altabef practiced law in Dallas for 28 years.

She and her husband Peter have two children.  Daughter Hayley is a Chicago-based attorney and son Will is a candidate for admission to the bar in Texas.

Larry Angelilli

Larry Angelilli has been involved in the Dallas arts community since 1999, including terms as President of the Board of Trustees of the Dallas Theater Center (DTC), and Chairman of the Finance Committee for the AT&T Performing Arts Center.  He was instrumental in the DTC’s move to the Performing Arts Center and has been deeply involved in the financial performance of both organizations.  He is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Dallas-based MoneyGram International Corporation.

During the COVID pandemic, Angelilli has effectively navigated the many financial challenges that have confronted the arts community in Dallas as well as his employer and looks forward to the bright future that lies ahead for both.

He and his wife Anne have three grown children and two grandchildren.

2021 Silver Cup Award Luncheon

Presented by The Eugene McDermott Foundation & J.P. Morgan
Honorees: Donna Wilhelm and Sam Self
Tuesday, May 4, 2021 – 12:00 p.m.
AT&T Performing Arts Center – Annette Strauss Artist Square

Celebrated annually, the TACA Silver Cup Award recognizes two individuals for their outstanding volunteer leadership and contributions to the arts in North Texas. The TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon serves as a unique opportunity to honor these individuals and gather the region’s civic and cultural leaders, patrons, and volunteers in support of distinguished leadership and volunteerism in the arts.

2021 Silver Cup Award Recipients

Donna Wilhelm
Author of A Life of My Own, A Memoir, Donna dedicates her book sale profits to build capacity of underserved women, girls and youth education.  Her broad philanthropic mission empowers the arts and cultural connection, mental health and environmental conservation. In her home community of Dallas, Texas, she is Life Trustee of KERA, North Texas Public Broadcasting and regional Dallas Theater Center; board member of The Arts Community Alliance (TACA), SMU Data Arts, The Nasher Sculpture Center and past trustee of DFW World Affairs Council.  Nationally, she serves as Trustee of National Public Radio, and globally, she supports education-based initiatives in developing world countries.

Donna’s undergraduate education was at CUNY, Hunter College, and her postgrad work in jewelry design was at NY Parsons School of Design.  She completed The Philanthropy Workshop (TPW) training, established by The Rockefeller Foundation and continuing alumni global workshops.

During the COVID pandemic, Donna finds solace through her arts training.  Using photographs, she creates ink sketches and watercolor portraits to sustain her connection with friends and family members.

Her community awards include AFP2019 Outstanding Philanthropist, Meadows at the Winspear Honoree, TITAS Tom Adams Award, and Bruce Wood Dance Company’s The Bruce Award.

Sam Self
Sam is a stalwart supporter of the arts in Dallas and has been a key link between the business community and the arts. After a 34-year career at Texas Instruments, he retired in 2002 as a Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer. Since, he has served in many capacities with Dallas arts organizations, including his role as President and Executive Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra during a transition period for the organization, in addition to currently serving as Chair of the DSO Foundation and DSO Building Committee Member.

As Don Glendenning, who nominated Sam for the honor puts it, “It is difficult to imagine more impactful volunteer service to the Dallas arts. Sam has been a quiet but key figure in fostering corporate philanthropy for the arts through his tenure with TI and Chairmanship of the TI Foundation.” In addition to serving as Chair of the Texas Instruments Foundation, Self serves as Director of the Eugene McDermott    Foundation, using both as a platform to continued promotion of the arts in Dallas.

In addition to his contributions to the DSO, Texas Instruments Foundation, and the Eugene McDermott Foundation, he has served on the Board of Directors and in Committee roles with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA).

Sam received an MBA degree from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a BS Degree in Business Administration from Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. A native of South Carolina, he and his wife Diana have blended family of four children and seven grandchildren.

2020 Silver Cup Award Luncheon

Presented by J.P.Morgan and Neiman Marcus
Honorees: Matrice Ellis-Kirk and Mike Rawlings
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 – 12:00 p.m.
Fairmont Dallas – Regency Ballroom

Celebrated annually, the TACA Silver Cup Award recognizes two individuals for their outstanding volunteer leadership and contributions to the arts in North Texas. The TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon serves as a unique opportunity to honor these individuals and gather the region’s civic and cultural leaders, patrons, and volunteers in support of distinguished leadership and volunteerism in the arts.

2020 Silver Cup Award Recipients

Matrice Ellis-Kirk
Dallas business and community leader Matrice Ellis-Kirk has been a lifelong lover of the arts and a champion of the Dallas cultural community. She is simultaneously a voice of support for the city’s historic cultural institutions, and for providing resources to support diverse new, small and ethnic-focused arts groups. She has been a strong advocate for arts education and community engagement, and for bringing new voices and diversity onto board and leadership positions. Chair of the AT&T Performing Arts Center Board of Directors since 2015, her Center Board services began in 2001.  She serves on the Board of Directors for TITAS/Dance Unbound, and has been a longtime supporter of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.  She has also served on the board of the Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the Museum of Natural History and Science.  Last year she was awarded the Peacemaker Award by the Turtle Creek Chorale for her passion for diversity and governance.

Mike Rawlings
Prior to his election, former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings declared, “I want to be the Arts Mayor of Dallas!” He then spent the next eight years fulfilling that promise, and being the city’s top cheerleader for the arts – at home, in Austin, Washington, or around the world. In his first term, Rawlings started Dallas Arts Week, expanding it to Dallas Arts Month in 2016. He launched Creative Conversations during Arts Month to highlight important issues in the arts community, and he was the first mayor to specifically designate a staff member to be a liaison to the Office of Cultural Affairs and the arts community.

Working tirelessly to win financial support for the arts, and connecting businesses with arts organizations, Rawlings has been a champion for growth of both the Dallas Art Fair and the Nasher Prize. Further, he was a critical supporter of the landmark proposal by the Moody Foundation to create the $10 million Moody Fund for the Arts. His arts leadership is recognized beyond Dallas. In fact, Rawlings was awarded the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 2018 National Award for Local Arts Leadership from the Americans for the Arts.

2019 Silver Cup Award Luncheon

Presented by J.P.Morgan and Neiman Marcus
Honorees: Margot B. Perot and J. Davis Hamlin
Monday, March 18, 2019 – 12:00 p.m.
Fairmont Dallas – Regency Ballroom

Celebrated annually, the TACA Silver Cup Award recognizes two individuals for their outstanding volunteer leadership and contributions to the arts in North Texas. The TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon serves as a unique opportunity to honor these individuals and gather the region’s civic and cultural leaders, patrons, and volunteers in support of distinguished leadership and volunteerism in the arts.

2019 Silver Cup Award Recipients

Margot B. Perot
Over the past several decades, Margot Perot has been among the most influential leaders and most generous supporters of the Dallas Museum of Art, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the Dallas Opera, while also providing major behind-the-scenes support for countless other smaller arts organizations. Margot Perot’s love for Dallas and her quiet civic leadership is one of the many reasons she is so widely respected. So many of the City’s finest institutions and organizations such as The Salvation Army, The United Way, The Perot Museum of Nature and Science, and UT Southwestern Medical Center, to name only a few, have been generously supported by her advocacy and philanthropy. The fact that Margot generously devoted a good portion of her volunteer time and leadership to the DMA and the DSO speaks to her belief that the public needs a strong and dynamic cultural life, as well as a network of social services for its citizens. As our city has emerged as an international center of trade and culture, we can thank one of Dallas’ finest for her sincere part in making it a vibrant city.

J. Davis Hamlin
Davis Hamlin has been a long-time supporter of the performing arts in Dallas, including The Dallas Opera, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. His noble patronage is the strong indication of how he affects the cultural life of the Dallas community. All our organizations need donors who care and are willing to make a personal commitment – Davis has done this for many years, through thick and thin, and he is well known for his stalwart support. In addition to his support of arts organizations in Dallas, Davis is very active in St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, where he supports the Music Ministry, among many other church programs. He also serves as a board member for Jubilee Park and Community Center, a catalyst for community renewal for this 62-block neighborhood in southeast Dallas. In this work, Davis not only contributes to the education and health needs for this underserved community but is also a tireless advocate for providing meaningful cultural opportunities for those who live there. Davis does all he does with grace and without asking for recognition. He is a true gentleman and loved by everyone he meets.

2018 Silver Cup Award Luncheon

Presented by JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Neiman Marcus
Honoring Julie K. Hersh and Donald J. Stone
Tuesday, March 20, 2018 – 12:00 p.m.
Hilton Anatole – Grand Ballroom

Celebrated annually, the TACA Silver Cup Award recognizes two individuals for their outstanding volunteer leadership and contributions to the arts in North Texas. The TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon serves as a unique opportunity to honor these individuals and gather the region’s civic and cultural leaders, patrons, and volunteers in support of distinguished leadership and volunteerism in the arts.

2018 TACA Silver Cup Award Recipients

Julie K. Hersh
Known for her innovative and inspiring leadership, Julie Hersh is president of the Hersh Foundation, an outspoken advocate of mental health awareness and a generous philanthropist. She is current board chair for the Dallas Theater Center (DTC), recipient of the 2017 Regional Theatre Tony Award; AT&T Performing Arts Center trustee; sponsor of Arts and Letters Live for the Dallas Museum of Art; supporter of Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Cara Mía Theatre Co. and other theaters. Hersh is also a board member for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Foundation and former board president of Dallas Children’s Theater. During Hersh’s tenure at DTC, she helped launch the enormously successful Public Works Dallas program, which seeks to engage people by making them creators, not just spectators of art.

Author of the book, “Struck by Living: from Depression to Hope, Hersh is uniquely qualified to connect the disciplines of theater arts and mental health research. Through her combined work as DTC board chair and as initial funder of the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care at UT Southwestern, she has encouraged the measurement of the impact of the arts on mental health in the community. She believes healing through the arts is an underutilized tool and has been a catalyst in opening conversations and strategic research between these disciplines.

After earning her BBA at the University of Notre Dame, Hersh worked in high-tech product development and marketing/sales in Silicon Valley. Her Struck by Living blog is featured on the Psychology Today website. She and her husband, Ken, were also the subject of Healthination.com’s True Champions series. Hersh is an avid runner, hiker and theater lover.

WATCH/READ JULIE HERSH’S SPEECH

Donald “Don” J. Stone
Don Stone is described by those who know him as a philanthropist, civic leader, businessman, fundraiser and one of Dallas’ most loyal and stalwart supporters of all the arts. Often working behind the scenes on campaigns for numerous cultural organizations of all sizes, he has worn many hats and is most notably known as a longstanding champion of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and past chairman. A passionate advocate for new music, Stone and his wife, Norma, established the Norma and Don Stone New Music Fund at the Dallas Symphony Foundation.

In addition to his commitment to the DSO and his profound belief in arts and culture, Stone has served in leadership positions with the Dallas Public Library, Voices of Change, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Fine Arts Chamber Players, Orchestra of New Spain, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, Shakespeare Dallas and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Stone’s rise in business is the classic American success story. He started out in a Houston Foley’s store basement as a salesman, and rose to become vice chair of Federated Department Stores, now known as Macy’s, via presidency of Foley’s and Sanger Harris. He served as vice chairman of Federated Department Stores until 1988 and director of Fossil Inc. from 1993 to 2013. Stone received his BBA from The University of Texas at Austin and was inducted into the McCombs School Hall of Fame in 1992, where he served as chairman of the McCombs School Advisory Council from 1990 to 1992.

Focus on the Arts – The 2018 TACA Silver Cup Award Recipients

WRR’s Amy Bishop visits with Julie K. Hersh and Donald J. Stone, the TACA 2018 Silver Cup Award recipients in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the arts.