1981
Citation:
Jack Valenti, President of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), has exhibited his genius, diplomacy, and commitment to high standers throughout his career. As Special Assistant to President Lyndon Johnson, he deftly handled his duties from the opening minutes of Johnson’s presidency. Valenti played a key role in arranging for the smooth transition of power following President John Kennedy’s assassination. As president of MPAA, he has been chiefly responsible for one of the most important changes in the American film industry: the rewriting of the Motion Picture Code. A graduate of the Harvard Business School, Valenti is the author of several books, a member of the Board of Directors of Trans World Airlines and the Washington Star, and on the Board of Trustees of the JFK Center for the Performing Arts and the American Film Institute.
Award was presented at the Presiden't Cabinet Fourteenth Annual Awards Dinner, May 1, 1981.