Published on Newsplex
The Tom Tom Founders Festival has selected this year’s recipients of the Founding Cville Award, an annual project honoring leaders who are nominated by the public for their work impacting Charlottesville and the world. There are nine recipients this year: Brian Calhoun, cofounder of Rockbridge Guitar; Ty Cooper, founder of Lifeview Marketing; Lynn Easton, cofounder of Easton Events and Easton Porter Group; Monica Gray, cofounder of DreamWakers; Ludwig Kuttner, developer and founder of the IX Art Park; Cynthia Lorenzoni, cofounder of Ragged Mountain Running; Gabriele Rausse, a father of Virginia wine; Sandy Reisky, founder of Apex Clean Energy; and Jaffray Woodriff, founder of Quantitative Investment Management. “These nine individuals represent the best of Charlottesville burgeoning music and arts, hospitality and wine, health care and sustainability, nonprofit and business communities,” said TTFF Director Paul Beyer. “We are thrilled that the public selected these influential leaders to honor in a special celebration at Tomtoberfest on Sept. 23, and above all, to inspire the next generation of leaders.” “Virginia is an important place for me and getting an award in my home town is pretty exciting,” said Reisky. “It’s been a big honor,” said Lorenzoni. “I love this town and I’ve been here since 1980. It’s the longest place I’ve lived anywhere and I consider it home.” The Tom Tom Founders Festival is inspired by Thomas Jefferson, whose birthday coincides with the annual spring festival. Contemporary founders are selected for representing the Jeffersonian spirit of creativity in art, business and civic leadership. For more information on the Founding Cville Award recipients and the Tomtoberfest, click here.