Pitt's Coleman Award Granted to Heinz Endowments President

PITTSBURGH—The University of Pittsburgh's Institute of Politics awarded its Coleman Award for Excellence in Community Service to Heinz Endowments President Max King at the institute's annual Elected Officials Retreat.

King became president of the Heinz Endowments in 1999 after a distinguished career with the "Philadelphia Inquirer" that spanned various positions over more than 25 years. He joined the "Inquirer" as a general assignment reporter in 1972 and was named city editor in 1974. In 1977, he left the paper to become a staff writer for "Forbes", but returned to the "Inquirer" to serve as assistant to the executive editor, assistant managing editor, and associate managing editor. In 1987, he joined the business side of the organization as senior vice president of consumer marketing and distribution before moving on to the position of executive vice president.

King also has served on the boards of many local and national organizations, including chair of the National Council of Foundations and a founding member of the American Society of Newspaper Editors' Committee of Concerned Journalists.

During his tenure as president, King helped to form the Pittsburgh Riverlife Task Force, the Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse, and the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse. He also helped make educational funding a priority of the institute. In 2002, he joined with leaders from The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Gable Foundation to obtain more than $3 million in grants to Pittsburgh Public Schools.

The Coleman Award for Excellence in Community Service recognizes and celebrates outstanding community leaders for their contributions to the Western Pennsylvania region. This is the second year for the award. In 2006, the inaugural Coleman Award was bestowed to its namesake, Morton "Moe" Coleman, founder of Pitt's Institute of Politics.

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10/29/07/amm