The first annual Danish American Frontier Award was awarded Sunday, April 3rd, 2016

 

San Francisco, CA - The Danish American Frontier Award Presidium awarded Mr. Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, President and CEO of the LEGO Group as the first Frontiersman, 2016.

 

The DAF Award is presented in association with the Danish American Chamber of Commerce of Northern California and the Innovation Center Denmark in Silicon Valley, and is the most prestigious honor awarded by the Danish American community in the western United States.

 

The award is presented to a person or group of persons who have distinguished themselves by their actions, exploration or presence in areas of leadership, business, commerce, service, science, technology, invention, arts or humanitarian ventures. The recipient will have exhibited daring curiosity in their pursuits, often standing alone for their convictions, while maintaining integrity throughout their enterprise. The DAF Award celebrates the pioneer spirit with which DanishAmericans have explored, and are still exploring the boundaries of themselves, their enterprise and their world today and actively shape the world of the future.

 

The award recognizes the leadership of Jørgen Vig Knudstorp and the work the LEGO Group has done to build essential 21st century skills. The LEGO Group inspires and develops the builders of tomorrow. More than 17,000 colleagues around the world work every day to bring fun and creative LEGO experiences to children all over the world, and they recognize how important play is for the development of children.” Children’s playfulness and curiosity, their eagerness to learn new skills and their courage to try new things inspires the LEGO Group to expand not only their own but also children’s frontiers.

 

The recipient was honored with a statuette depicting Peter Lassen, one of the most important of early Danish-American pioneers and frontiersmen. The statuette is a work of art by the renowned sculptor Dennis Smith, whose works have become national treasures located throughout the United States and many other countries, including Denmark where Dennis traces his heritage and a statue of his grandmother Kristina stands on Amerika Kaj in Copenhagen.

 

The statuette was unveiled at the Gala-event at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins by His Excellency Ambassador Lars Gert Lose, and presented to The Frontiersman, by the Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science, Ulla Tørnæs.