 This award pays tribute to a person or an organization that has actively contributed to the international appreciation of Spain and the Americas through a donation of time, expertise and innate wisdom in the areas of science, arts or the humanities.The president and CEO is David Askren and the executive director since September, 2017 is Patrice Degnan Erquicia.Queen Sofía Spanish Institute, Inc. (The “Institute”) is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1954 to stimulate American's interest in the Art, Culture, Customs, language, literature and history of the Spanish speaking world and to promote, among the Spanish-speaking peoples of the world, knowledge and understanding of ideals, culture and customs of the people of the United States, to the end that ties of friendship may be formed, mutual understanding promoted, and bonds of peace strengthened.