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Richard D. Holland Named 2010 Horatio Alger Award Recipient
Retired Chairman of Holland, Dreves & Reilly Advertising to be Inducted April 2010 in Washington, D.C. for Overcoming Adversity

WASHINGTON, January 13 2010 – The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is pleased to announce that Richard D. Holland, Philanthropist and Retired Chairman of Holland, Dreves & Reilly Advertising, now Ayres Kahler, will receive the 2010 Horatio Alger Award in recognition of his personal and professional success despite humble and challenging beginnings.

Holland will be formally inducted into the association when he accepts the Horatio Alger Award on April 9, 2010, in Washington, D.C. Current and past recipients of the award have overcome great adversity to achieve admirable accomplishments, to serve as examples of achieving the American Dream, and to offer countless hours and resources to help others in need.

“We are delighted to induct these individuals into the Horatio Alger Association and to honor their stories of success in the face of significant struggle,” said David L. Sokol, president and CEO of the Horatio Alger Association. “We believe that adversity builds character, and Richard Holland’s story is no exception. Holland’s life story of strength, resolve and achievement is commendable, and he will help continue our mission of helping other young people achieve similar success.”

Richard Holland was born in 1921, spending many childhood years in Omaha, Nebraska during the Great Depression. His father was among the fortunate few to have a job, but times were not easy. When Holland graduated from high school in 1939, he went to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he majored in chemistry. However, World War II interrupted his studies as Holland volunteered to serve in the Army Chemical Corps. While serving, Holland became convinced he was not cut out to be a chemical engineer. When he returned to school at the end of the war, he switched his major to art and joined his father’s ad agency after graduation.

In 1962, he established Holland, Dreves and Reilly Advertising (now Ayres Kahler), which became Omaha’s second largest ad agency. Holland retired in 1979 to give more attention to his philanthropy efforts, primarily with The Holland Foundation.

Among his many philanthropic efforts, Holland most recently became the chairman of Building Bright Futures, an organization committed to improving the educational outcomes of children in poverty living in a two-county area in Nebraska. The 501(c)3 provides educational training, mentoring and scholarship support to needy children at the early childhood to high school levels.

Holland will be honored among 10 other remarkable individuals who will receive the 2010 award for their hard work, self-reliance and perseverance:

• Albert T. Annexstad, Chairman, Federated Insurance Companies
• William Alfred Cook, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Cook Group Incorporated
• Tommy Ray Franks, Former Commander-in-Chief, US Central Command, and Chairman, Franks & Associates
• Jenard M. Gross, President, Gross Investments
• Lawrence Mead Higby, CEO (Retired), Vice Chairman and Advisor, Apria Healthcare Group Inc.
• Richard D. Holland, Philanthropist and Chairman (Retired), Rollheiser Holland Kahler Advertising
• Alan B. Miller, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Universal Health Services, Inc.
• Condoleezza Rice, Former Secretary of State, US Department of State, and Provost, Stanford University
• James M. Seneff Jr., Founder and CEO, CNL Financial Group, Inc.
• Earl W. Stafford Sr., Chief Executive Officer, The Wentworth Group LLC, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Stafford Foundation, Inc.

In addition, the 2010 Norman Vincent Peale Award will be presented to Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas. The Norman Vincent Peale Award is annually conferred on an association member who has made exceptional humanitarian contributions to society, who has been an active participant in the association, and who continues to exhibit courage, tenacity and integrity in the face of great challenges. The award is named in honor of Dr. Peale, who was an outstanding leader of the association for more than 40 years.

The 2010 members will receive their awards at the 2010 Horatio Alger Awards Induction Ceremonies April 8-10, 2010. Activities include three days of meetings and celebrations in some of the nation’s most historic buildings. The Horatio Alger national scholars, remarkable high school seniors who have excelled despite adversity, also will be formally honored during the three-day gathering.

A complete list of all of the Horatio Alger Members can be found at http://www.horatioalger.org/members.cfm.

About The Horatio Alger Association
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans continues to fulfill its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals in our society who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. The Horatio Alger Association offers three annual scholarship programs: the National Scholarship Program, state scholarship rpograms, and graduate grants. The association awards nearly $7 million annually in college scholarships and has given more than $70 million to deserving students since 1984. The association is a 2009 Combined Federal Campaign participant, ID# 77062. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

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