The 2023 Globy Awards: Recognizing Outstanding Leadership in Philadelphia
In an elegant ballroom at The Westin, some of Philadelphia’s most dedicated civic leaders, businesspeople, young professionals and charitable patrons gathered to celebrate Global Philadelphia’s Globy Awards on December 11th. Each year, GPA hosts the Globys to celebrate individuals doing commendable work for Philadelphia and to commemorate the most valiant efforts that support the city and its reputation. This year’s luncheon event honored six deserving awardees who have established themselves as leaders in their fields and in promoting recognition of Philadelphia among the global community.
Each honoree of 2023 received an award in a different category. This year’s categories included educational leadership, corporate leadership, community leadership, historical and cultural preservation, sustainable development, and lifetime achievement. These categories are integral to Philadelphia’s identity and garnering international recognition for the city, so GPA was excited to recognize those who have made significant contributions in these areas.
The six awardees brought their unique personalities and stories into their acceptance speeches, showcasing 
their passion for their work and the city as a whole. Many referred to the themes and ideas they presented in their Global Conversations, individual interviews that prefaced their appearances at the Globys. More than anything, every awardee was sure to thank the family, friends, and communities that helped and supported their work, and emphasized the significance of group efforts over those of the individual.
The first to be presented with their award was Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. Earning the Community Leadership award for his avid involvement in the Philadelphia community, the Bishop delivered a moving acceptance speech on the individual and the church’s role in helping others. He demonstrated his deep devotion to ministerial outreach both in Philadelphia and on the international scale, explaining that the whole world is one community and all people have commonalities, a deep message that touched the audience.
An admired Philadelphia icon, Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake, was presented with the award for Corporate Leadership. As the President of the IBX Foundation, Marshal-Blake’s achievements are almost too many to count, and her involvement in numerous Philadelphia organizations exhibit her commitment to bettering the city. This was also clearly reflected in her speech centered on the importance of the organizations she has been a part of and recognizing others that have helped her along the way.
The next memorable presentation was the award of Educational Leadership to Head of School at Friends Select, Michael Gary. Focusing on innovative and diversified educational efforts for children, Michael Gary also shared his belief that everyone is an educator and therefore has the power to positively influence the youth to create a better tomorrow.
With GPA’s intense focus on heritage, it was only right that Historical and Cultural Preservation be an award category and have such a deserving recipient in Michael Norris. Norris’ steadfast commitments to The Carpenters’ Company and Carpenters’ Hall demonstrate his interest in history, and within his speech he also emphasized his optimism for the future of his organization, Philadelphia, and the next generations.
Kathryn Ott Lovell brought enthusiasm to the podium as she accepted the award for Sustainable Development for the work and leadership at Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. The way in which Lovell described the role of parks in communities, the efforts of her team that supported her, and her love for Philadelphia made it clear why she is flourishing at her new position as President and CEO of the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation, welcoming and guiding visitors in our city everyday.
For the final award of the night, a special tribute video was presented in order to include many people’s congratulations and kind words for the Lifetime Achievement awardee. Following a moving introduction by Dr. 
Oludare Odumosu, the President and CEO of Zelira Therapeutics and former mentee of the awardee, Oliver Saint Clair Franklin received the Lifetime Achievement Globy Award. As the Honorary Consul for the United Kingdom, Franklin’s involvement in the international community and bringing about recognition for Philadelphia on a global scale could not go unnoticed, and GPA and the audience in attendance were excited to cheer on Franklin as he received this distinguished award.
Each awardee expressed the utmost sincerity, humility, and gratitude during the awards presentation, and were all sure to congratulate each other with kind words. They could all also agree on the growing influence of GPA and what the organization has done for the city’s international positioning. The repeated recognition and gratefulness that the recipients expressed toward GPA displayed how GPA’s work is influential and appreciated in many sectors of Philadelphia’s professional network and continuing to increase its reach in the city and around the globe.
The 2023 Globys were a resounding success. GPA extends its gratitude to the many sponsors and patrons that supported the Globys, those who donated to Ronald McDonald House for the event, and all attendees that made the day unforgettable. We hope to see you next year as GPA recognizes a new group of leaders in Philadelphia.
