Each year, the Fraternity recognizes individuals (undergraduate, alumni and friends of ZBT) and chapters/colonies for achievement in programming, recruitment, philanthropy and many more areas. It is our pleasure to honor those who commit to the success and stability of ZBT. Awards will be presented on Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 7:00pm EDT/4:00pm PST. Register here. 

Today we highlight our 2020 Special Award winners! You can hear from these impressive brothers during the Awards Presentation on Sunday July 26.

MAN OF THE YEAR

The Man of the Year award honors those brothers who stand forth above other brothers and fellow citizens in living the Credo and honoring ZBT’s Ritual from a position of leadership and service. These brothers serve as role models for brothers of Zeta Beta Tau and American society in general.

This year, Brother Kenneth M. Duberstein Alpha Tau (Franklin & Marshall) 1965, joins this impressive group.  Brother Duberstein served as Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan. He is generally said to be the first Jewish American to serve in that role.

Kenneth M. Duberstein is the chairman and CEO of the Duberstein Group, an independent strategic planning and consulting company advising leading corporations and a select group of trade associations. Duberstein served as a key member of the Reagan Administration during his various assignments as White House Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs. Among the Board of Director on which Duberstein has served are: The Boeing Company (Lead Director and Chairman of the Governance and Nominating Committee), The Travelers Companies (Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee), Mack-Cali Realty Corporation, Conoco- Phillips (Presiding Director and Chairman of the Governance committee) and Dell, Inc.

He is Lifetime Trustee of the Franklin & Marshall College and the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. He is chairman of the Harvard University Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School, and serves as well on the board of directors of the Brookings Institution, and the Colin L. Powell School of Civic and Global Leadership. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, having served on its board for 10 years.

From 2003-2006, he was a consultant for storyline and accuracy for the Emmy award winning TV series- The West Wing.

ALUMNUS HERITAGE AWARD

The Alumnus Heritage Award was created in 2005 to be presented to a member of the Jewish community who distinguishes himself or herself in a communal, philanthropic, artistic or professional endeavor.

Our 2020 Heritage Award recipient is the Honorable Stuart E. Eizenstat, Alpha Pi (University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill) 1964. During a decade and a half of public service in three presidential administrations, Ambassador Eizenstat has held several key senior positions. These included serving as chief White House domestic policy adviser to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981 and U.S. Ambassador to the European Union from 1993-1996. Much of the interest in providing belated justice for victims of the Holocaust and other victims of Nazi tyranny during World War II was the result of his leadership of the Clinton Administration as Special Representative of the President and Secretary of State on Holocaust-Era Issues in the 1990s.  He successfully negotiated major agreements with the Swiss, Germans, Austrian and French, and other European countries, covering restitution of property, payment for slave and forced laborers, recovery of looted art, bank accounts, and payment of insurance policies.  His book on these events, Imperfect Justice: Looted Assets, Slave Labor, and the Unfinished Business of World War II, has been favorably received in publications like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Business Week, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Brother Eizenstat is a prominent voice in international relations in the U.S.

He is a published author and expert on business and trade relations. He has earned eight honorary doctorate degrees. In 2015, he was named ZBT’s Man of the Year. We are proud of this brother and thankful for his service across the globe.

MEN OF DISTINCTION

The Man of Distinction Award was created to honor those brothers who reach the apex of their various involvements. Through their life’s work, these men exemplify the brotherhood of Zeta Beta Tau.

Those brothers selected to earn this award bring wisdom and dignity to their prestigious roles.  Previous recipients include University President Stephen J. Trachtenberg, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer,  and former L.A. County District Attorney Steven Cooley.

This year, it is service to society that we most celebrate. We are not choosing just one Man of Distinction; but all those men who are on the frontlines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an emergency responder, health care provider or other hospital staff, these Zeta Beta Tau brothers live our tenet of Social Responsibility with commitment and a sense of duty. We cannot honor and thank them enough for the work they are doing each and every day.  

If you are one of our ZBT Heroes, please take a moment to provide your information here so we can honor you during the Awards Presentation.

Our photo highlights Dr. Stephan L. Kamholtz, Gamma (New York University) 1968, who recently passed away due to coronavirus. He was serving as Chair of Medicine at Maimonides Hospital and fighting the pandemic on the frontlines.

SOMMER AWARD

The Edwin N. Sommer Award is named a the brother who served as International Vice President during the World War II era, shepherding the safety of Fraternity assets during a turbulent time. The award is presented from time-to-time to an alumnus for “Selfless Dedication to the Ideals of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.”

We know that “the Ideals” of ZBT are Intellectual Awareness, Social Responsibility, Integrity and Brotherly Love. But our beliefs have complementary concepts like servant leadership, camaraderie, care for brothers, curiosity, spirit and loyalty. This year’s recipient, Jim Summers, truly lives every value of ZBT and has selflessly dedicated his life to our Fraternity.

If you can name a volunteer role within the Fraternity, Brother James (Jim) P. Summers, Gamma Epsilon (Marshall University) 1970- has probably held it. Jim worked on the Fraternity staff as a young man before going to graduate school to study higher education at USC. After a 35-year career in the information technology industry, Jim returned to  ZBT, serving in multiple roles with the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation before retiring. Throughout the years, he served as a volunteer in numerous avenues.

Few alumni have had the breadth of impact of Brother Summers. He is a champion for the ZBT alumni experience, serving in several major strategic planning and development roles that have shaped the future of the organization. He is a Founding Father and highly active member of the Zeta Beta Tau Atlanta Area Alumni Association. He gives all he can, personally, to ensure that all ZBTs know the importance of having a full Brotherhood for a Lifetime.