In honor of the life and achievement of former Governor of New Mexico, US Ambassador, US Secretary of Energy, and US presidential candidate Bill Richardson (1947 - 2023), Global Reach has established the Bill Richardson Heart of a Patriot Award, presented annually during the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation dinner in Washington, DC, beginning in 2025.
This award recognizes an individual whose actions after leaving public service result in the freeing of Americans wrongfully detained or held hostage—a mission set and realized successfully by Bill Richardson following his active years in government service.
Governor Richardson’s example should serve as a paradigm for governmental, corporate, and philanthropic leaders. The approach he espoused was direct, carefully focused on the delivery of fellow citizens to their homes, no matter how intransigent, menacing, or unreasonable the demands of hostage takers or others acting wrongfully. In Bill Richardson, they found a determined fighter.
Global Reach has vowed to continue Bill’s work. The Heart of a Patriot Award will honor others formerly in positions of power who join us in doing what they can to help those in need.
