The Arts Leadership Award was created to recognize exemplary leadership in promoting and advocating the arts on behalf of the Greenville community. The award is presented to an artist, philanthropist, arts executive, volunteer or corporation each year. The 2011 award, sponsored by The Peace Center for the Performing Arts, was presented to The Peace Family.

The revitalization of Downtown Greenville, which has had immense economic impact within the community, is traceable to a public – private sector partnership. This has been true in communities around our nation, but in Greenville we can still put faces to the story. None of this city’s contributing partners have been more recognizable than members of the Peace family.

Joining with the city over 20 years ago, the Peace family helped launch the Peace Center. It could not have been built without their financial and spirited support. Betty Stall was in fact the community’s fundraising leader, helping to amass $42 million in the original campaign. This not only built the Center, but it preserved buildings of historical distinction, which was the family’s steadfast commitment.

Over time the entire Peace family participated with gifts. To date they have contributed more than $22 million, including support for the Peace Center renovations that are underway at this time. Contributing members of the family have included Dorothy Peace, Francis MacIlwinen and the Graham Foundation, Genevieve Sakas-Manly, Betty Stall, Laura DuPont, Suzanne Hudson, Mary Sterling, Dorothy Ramsaur, and Robert and Sandy DeLapp.

FinalGreenville Chamber of Commerce 123rd Annual Meeting