 |
|
Lifetime
Achievement Spotlight
 Herbert
M. "Tippen" Davidson, Jr.
CEO, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
Arts Advocate
Tippen Davidson
was there at the beginning - when his grandfather and father emptied
their bank account to buy a newspaper in Florida. Born in Chicago on
August 2, 1925, Herbert M. "Tippen" Davidson, Jr. is the grandson
of the founder of The Daytona Beach News-Journal, one of the
last of the family-owned newspapers in the United States. Mr. Davidson
joined the newspaper in 1947, with the exception of a period of time
when he worked for the Chicago Daily News. He succeeded his father,
the late Herbert M. Davidson, who died in 1985 at the age of 89, as
editor and publisher, and company president. He represents the third
generation to serve as publisher of the family-owned newspaper. His
grandfather, the late Julius Davidson, was publisher from 1928 to 1962.
His late wife, Josephine Field Davidson, was editor from 1985 until
her death in July 1995.
Widely known throughout
Florida as a leader in the arts, he was chairman of the Florida Arts
Council, 1970-1974 and 1981-1982. He was named Florida's Ambassador
of the Arts in 1982, and received the state's 1995 Arts Recognition
Award. He attended the Juilliard School of Music, and in Daytona Beach
founded the Daytona Beach Little Orchestra, which he formerly conducted,
and the Seaside Concerts, in which he played viola for 12 years. He
was instrumental in bringing the London Symphony Orchestra to Daytona
Beach for biennial festivals. In 1989 he was made an honorary member
of the LSO, and in 1998 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire.
He founded the Seaside Music Theater in 1977, which has become a nationally
recognized professional theater. He co-founded the Florida International
Festival in 1966 and served as president 1966-present. He has also served
on cultural arts boards such as the Volusia County Cultural Arts Advisory
Board, Florida Cultural Alliance, Stetson University School of Music
Board of Trustees and the Arts for a Complete Education. He has received
several arts honors such as an Honorary Music Doctorate from Stetson
University, the Distinguished Career Award for service to Professional
Theater from the Florida Theater Conference, Business Committee for
the Arts National Award, and Florida Professional Theater Association's
Fallon Award.
Thoughts from
his colleagues...
"My experience
in working with Tippen Davidson is that he’s always been a very
aggressive advocate for the arts. He’s always championed the case
for culture, and understood the importance of cultural life – not
just in terms of the quality of life for residents, but also its impact
on economic development."
Ken
Rollins
Director of the Florida Gulf Coast Museum,
Past president of the Florida Art Museum Directors Association
Former director of the DeLand Museum of Art
"... through
his involvement in the founding of arts-advocacy groups such as Arts
for a Complete Education and the Florida Cultural Alliance, Davidson
has spearheaded initiatives that help make the arts part of a well-rounded
human experience."
Jennifer
Coolidge
Director of the DeLand Museum of Art
“He strongly
believes in the power of the arts to humanize the next generation. He’s
willing to stand out there and motivate the masses everywhere. That’s
because Davidson has continued and expanded his family’s traditional
arts patronage by putting his money where his mouth is."
JuDee
Pettijohn
Florida Deputy Secretary of State for Cultural Affairs
“Such
dedication comes from his family’s example, and from a lifelong
belief that the arts are simply central to a rich, well-rounded life.
He has incorporated into his life the significance of the arts for a
full human experience, with the arts one of the more important components.
He’s not only a musician but also an art collector. Tippen helped
put together The News-Journal’s art collection and his own personal
art collection, emphasizing American art. But his impact is much wider.
He is THE prime mover in establishing and continuing to establish a
foundation for the arts in the Volusia County region. Tippen is a leader
and while The News-Journal has developed model programs for direct support
of the arts, from the smallest to the largest, he was encouraging professionalism
among all of those groups. And his work on committees and boards has
been crucial for building support at every level.”
Gary
Libby
Museum of Arts and Sciences’ Director emeritus
Do you have
an artist to recommend for a future ArtSpotlight? If you do, contact
ArtSpotlight@theArtsweb.com.
You can even recommend yourself!
|
 |
