A Salute to DuPont

Honor Award

April 11, 2002  

The National Building Museum presented its 2002 Honor Award to DuPont. The award coincides with the 200th anniversary of DuPont, widely known for its inventions and scientific achievements—many of which have had a profound impact on the building and design industries.

DuPont Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles O. Holliday, Jr. accepted the award before an audience of nearly 1,000 cultural, corporate, building industry, and political leaders. The festive black-tie gala was held on April 11, 2002 in the landmark Great Hall of the National Building Museum.

"DuPont has a two-century history of turning scientific discoveries into products that make a real difference in our daily lives," said Museum President Susan Henshaw Jones. "The National Building Museum is privileged to salute DuPont for its inventive products that directly influence the construction and design process in the building industry."

"We're delighted that the National Building Museum has chosen to present DuPont with their prestigious Honor Award," said Charles O. Holliday, Jr., DuPont chairman and chief executive officer. "The recognition is especially gratifying since it comes as we celebrate 200 years of science serving people around the world."

DuPont

Many aspects of modern construction and building design are influenced by the inventions and products developed by DuPont. DuPont products such as DuPont Kevlar® brand fiber and DuPont Butacite® laminated glass make buildings safer, more durable, and more efficient. Kevlar® is a synthetic fiber, five times stronger than steel on an equal weight basis, that combines great strength with great lightness. The immense strength of this fabric is used to protect buildings from blasts. Butacite® is a soft, pliable sheeting used as the interlayer in laminated, shatter-proof glass. Both of these important products have received increased public attention as the United States faces new security challenges in response to the September 11 tragedies.

In addition, the Honor Award pays tribute to products and inventions that enhance office and home design across the country. DuPont Antron® nylon fiber, a state-of-the-art synthetic fiber, is used in commercial carpets to keep them clean and durable. Interior designers value Antron® for allowing flexibility and resiliency in custom-designed carpets. Many of the company's products like DuPont Corian® solid surfaces, a highly adaptable solid surface especially popular for countertops, and DuPont Tyvek® brand protective material, which provides a barrier to moisture and air penetration, have set new standards for residential applications. The remarkable durability of DuPont and its products is a testament to the company's history of continuous invention and scientific achievement—two centuries of consistently working at the leading edge of scientific research.

Bestowed annually since 1986, the National Building Museum's Honor Award recognizes outstanding individuals and companies who have made significant contributions in the fields of architecture, planning, construction, and building. In claiming the award, DuPont joins such celebrated past recipients as Michael D. Eisner and The Walt Disney Company, the Rockefeller and Pritzker families, the IBM Corporation, United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, former National Gallery director J. Carter Brown, and Lady Bird Johnson, among others. The evening gala will benefit exhibition and education programs of the National Building Museum, the only public institution in America devoted exclusively to examining and interpreting American achievements in building.

The 2002 Honor Award co-chairs included Mike Goodrich of BE&K, Peter Oakley of BASF Corporation, Will Miller of Irwin Financial Corporation, and Hal Yoh of Day & Zimmermann, Inc. The National Building Museum was pleased to have the support of BASF Corporation, BE&K, Inc., and the Lynn and Foster Friess Family Foundation as Patrons; and Alcoa, The Dow Chemical Company, EDS, Gensler, Holland & Knight, MBNA, McGraw-Hill Construction Information Group, and Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley, among others, as Sponsors.