- Association brings back a reimagined version of its legacy award
- Sandy Angus, Mary Larkin, and Kai Hattendorf named as first recipients
- Medals of Honour awarded during the UFI Global Congress in Cologne
On the eve of the association’s centennial, UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announces the revival of its legacy medal of appreciation in a reimagined format.
Called the “UFI Medal of Honour”, this new scheme will award up to three individuals annually for their unique services to the global exhibition industry at large and the UFI community in particular. Each year, the UFI President will select recipients in consultation with the respective members of the UFI trio.
UFI President Geoff Dickinson says: “For any association to reach a milestone like 100 years is a testament to the tireless work of key individuals over many, many years. Every association can only be as good as its members, and UFI’s uniquely strong position in the event industry results from outstanding individuals putting their hearts and minds into it. By reinstating a UFI Medal of Honour, we now have the opportunity to thank these individuals with a small gesture.”
The new “UFI Medal of Honour” is a specially designed medal hand-crafted by FIA Médaille, a French company founded in 1928 and based in Dardilly, near Lyon. Known for its exceptional craftsmanship, the company is recognised with the prestigious “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” label. The medal is accompanied by a certificate of recognition and a special lapel pin.
UFI Gold and Silver medals were last handed out in 2002. UFI’s then-President Sandy Angus had the honour of granting a Gold Medal to Prof. Dr. Manfred Busche for his services, including being UFI President from 1998 – 2001.
The first “UFI Medals of Honour” were handed out during the association’s Global Congress in Cologne, Germany.
In its inaugural year, UFI leadership selected:
- Sandy Angus, UFI President 2001 – 2003
- Mary Larkin, UFI President 2020 – 2021
- Kai Hattendorf, UFI CEO since 2015
Commenting on the three selected recipients, Geoff Dickinson shares:
“Sandy Angus has been active in UFI for over 50 years, and his positive impact on the work through all these years is really impossible to measure. It is fair to say that without Sandy, UFI in its present form would simply not exist”, says Dickinson. “Also, it was Sandy who handed out the last medal UFI awarded so far – so to me, he very much is the only possible person to receive this new Medal of Honour first.”
“Mary Larkin served UFI as President during our industry’s darkest hour – the midst of the pandemic. She held our community together, using grit and charm on equal terms. As our organisation’s first-ever female president, she drove change across the UFI leadership. Today, one-third of the colleagues on the UFI Executive Committee are women – a share twice as high as in our industry’s boardrooms. The changemaker here was Mary, and the UFI Medal of Honour is a small way to show our gratitude for all of this”, says Dickinson.
“When Kai Hattendorf initially reached out to me, asking if I could imagine being involved in UFI, I didn’t know too much about it, I have to be honest. Of course, this has changed. Over the years, I have seen the impact Kai has made on UFI and how his work has shaped and evolved into what UFI is today. Undeterred by the pandemic or political and economic crisis, he has steered the course of UFI in the last decade. I thoroughly admire him for his skills here, and very much enjoy working with him as the President. As he leaves his role as UFI CEO, he more than deserves a Medal of Honour as recognition”, says Dickinson.
