Former United States Ambassador and Renowned Philanthropist Patricia L. Herbold Selected for Prestigious Horatio Alger Award - Class of 2014

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that former United States Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold, vice president and secretary of the Herbold Foundation, will be inducted as a Member of this prestigious Association next spring.  Ambassador Herbold joins eleven other outstanding business and civic leaders from across North America in receiving this honor.  Since its inception in 1947, this annual award has recognized exceptional leaders – all with a commitment to philanthropy and higher education – who have overcome significant personal challenges to achieve success. 

A Cincinnati, OH native, Ambassador Herbold's early years were marked by family strife as her mother struggled to raise five children alone after her father left due to a gambling addiction.  When Ambassador Herbold was in the fifth grade, her mother placed all five children in St. Joseph's Orphanage, where she stayed until after eighth grade.  As a child living in the orphanage the Ambassador was given a wide variety of jobs, such as ironing, sewing and laundry, which helped form her strong work ethic.  She was also an excellent student earning a full scholarship to Edgecliff College (now part of Xavier University).  She paid for her books through babysitting jobs and work in the chemistry department, where she was a major.

After starting a family, Ambassador Herbold enrolled in the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, graduating second in her class in 1977.  While serving as legal counsel for a wide variety of companies after law school, including Prudential Insurance, Ambassador Herbold was drawn to public service.  Beginning in 1983, with her election to the City Council of Montgomery, OH, she continued her political career as Mayor of Montgomery in 1985.  After relocating to Washington State, she became a member of the Washington State Gambling Commission in 1997 and the elected Chairwoman of the King County Republican Party in 2002.  In 2005, she was appointed United States Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore by President George W. Bush and she held this position until 2009. Currently, she is the vice president and secretary of the Herbold Foundation.

"Personal hardship is something that all Members of the Association share, but certainly Ambassador Herbold's story is a remarkable one as she overcame experiences in her childhood that would have defeated so many others," said Tony Novelly, president and CEO, Horatio Alger Association and 2000 Horatio Alger Award recipient.  "Her resilience is inspiring and her incredible work ethic and accomplishments made her selection as a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award a rather simple one.  We are very proud to welcome the Ambassador to the Association as part of this outstanding class."    

Ambassador Herbold and her husband, Robert, founded the Herbold Foundation in 2002.  This organization awards scholarships to students majoring in science, technology, math, or engineering.  The couple has also funded the Herbold Computational Biology program at The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA.  Ambassador Herbold has also served on the President's 21^st Century Workforce Council and on the boards of St. Joseph Orphanage, Seattle Art Museum and the Washington Policy Center.  She currently serves on the boards of the Reagan Ranch and Intercollegiate Studies Institute.

In accepting this honor, Ambassador Herbold commented, "I came from humble beginnings, but I was always taught the value of hard work and that ethic has been so important to all that I have done in my life.  To be inducted into this Association and to have the opportunity to support young Americans, who like me, have overcome adversity is a wonderful honor.  I look forward to supporting the Association and its mission as a lifetime Member." 

Ambassador Herbold and her cohort will officially be inducted as Members during the Association's annual three-day induction ceremonies, which will be held in Washington, D.C. in April 2014.  In addition to honoring these outstanding leaders, Horatio Alger Association will also recognize its 2014 National Scholarship recipients, providing an opportunity for Scholars and Members to meet and exchange stories of their respective perseverance and success.

In addition to presenting its annual award, Horatio Alger Association administers one of the largest, privately-funded scholarship programs for at-risk students in the United States and Canada.  Funding for its scholarships, which annually provides more than $9 million to selected students in need, is wholly supported by private donations from Association Members and friends. 

For more information about Horatio Alger Association and a full list of its Class of 2014, please visit http://horatioalger.org/news_pr_members2014.cfm.

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., fulfills its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. Horatio Alger Association supports students through annual undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships and mentoring programs across the United States and Canada. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $100 million in college scholarships to deserving young people.  For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

CONTACT:
Nikki Elkins
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SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.