November 11, 2020
On Wednesday, November 18, the MotorCities National Heritage Area Partnership will honor U.S. Congressman Fred Upton and seven finalists who have distinguished themselves in the areas of auto and labor heritage with its 7th annual Awards of Excellence.
A winner in each of the three categories -- revitalization, education and tourism -- will be announced during Michigan Auto Heritage Day, a virtual event being combined with MotorCities 2019-2020 Annual Membership Meeting from 10 a.m. – Noon. Those interested can register for the Zoom link at www.motorcities.org/michigan-auto-heritage-day or watch it as happens on MotorCities Facebook page.
Congressman Upton will be honored with MotorCities’ annual Milestone Award. He has been a stalwart supporter of MotorCities from its beginning, co-sponsoring the original authorizing legislation in 1998 and playing a critical role in expanding the Heritage Area westward to include Kalamazoo, where Checker Cabs were made, and the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners.
The finalist for the award for Revitalization is:
· Steve Shotwell, Board President of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit.
FinFinalists for the award for Interpretation and Education include:
· Russell Dore of Dore Productions;
· Henry Ford Heritage Association for their Henry Ford Quiz Show;
· The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant for their Early Ford Dealerships 1903-1927 exhibit.
FinFinalists for the award for Heritage Tourism are the following:
· Bailey Sisoy-Moore of Detroit History Tours, LLC.;
· Don and Gayle Nicholson of Don Nicholson Enterprises for organizing numerous car cruises in the metro Detroit community;
· and William Adcock of the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing.
M Michigan Automotive Heritage Day and the Awards of Excellence began in 2014 and have become an annual opportunity to celebrate the story that can only be told in Michigan: how this area "Put The World On Wheels."