Distinguished Citizen Award

The Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner is a gala event that annually honors individuals who share Scouting’s belief in leadership, determination and values, and have contributed significantly to the growth and vitality of Central Texas.

Past recipients include:

• Attorney/Philanthropist Tim Taylor
• Endeavor Real Estate co-founder David Roche
• University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven
• Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp
• the late University of Texas President Bill Powers
• former Governor Rick Perry
• Texas Disposal Systems co-founders Bob and Jim Gregory
• former University of Texas Men’s Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds
• past Greater Austin Economic Development Corporation Chair Gary Farmer
• Philanthropists Pete and Tomi Winstead
• the late Austin Mayor Gus Garcia

This Year’s Honoree

Clarke Heidrick is a partner with the Austin law firm McGinnis Lochridge. He specializes in business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance.

Clarke is married to Catherine Heidrick and they have 4 grown children. Clarke is a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church of The Good Shepherd and is a former Senior Warden of that Parish. He also serves as an advisory director of Texas Capital Bank.

Clarke is involved in a variety of community organizations and activities, including current service as Executive Chair of the Board of the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest, Chair of the Board of Shivers Cancer Foundation, Chair of the Board of Rebekah Baines Johnson Center, a member of the Board of Directors of Hillside Early Childhood Center, a member (and former President) of Austin Area Research Organization, a member of the Board of the Lowell Lebermann Foundation, and a member of the Steering Committee for the LiveStrong Cancer Institute at the Dell Medical School of the University of Texas.

Clarke is also a past Executive Chair of the Board of Trustees of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, former Chair of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, former Chair of the Board of Managers of the Travis County Healthcare District (now Central Health), and previously served as Chair of the Board of United Way Capital Area and as Co-Chair of the 2009 United Way Capital Area Campaign.

In 2014, Clarke was named Austinite of the Year by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. He was honored in 2013 by the Austin Anti-Defamation League with its Jurisprudence Award, in 2018 by the Austin Bar Association as a “Distinguished Lawyer”, and in 2018 by SMU Dedman School of Law as a “Distinguished Alumni” and as the recipient of the Dean Charles Galvin Award for distinguished service.

Event Details

Thank you for all who attended our 2019 event in support of Clarke Heidrick and Scouting. If you have not fulfilled your table purchase or sponsorship commitment for the 2019 event, please visit this link to make payment.

Please enjoy these comments by Clarke Heidrick from our 2019 event:

Event Impact

For more than one hundred years, the Boy Scouts of America has provided programs with a mission of preparing young people for adulthood – and to be responsible citizens.  Scouting offers exciting programs designed to inspire, build character, and instill the values boys and girls need to succeed today. Funds from the Award dinner benefit nearly 600 Scouting programs across 15 Central Texas counties serving youth regardless of ability or economic level. 

Event Sponsorship

Underwriting for this event makes it possible for 100% of all dollars raised to go directly to Scouting programs in Central Texas. All event sponsors will be recognized in front of one of Austin’s finest collections of civic-minded leaders and corporate philanthropists.

If your company would like to know more about any of these events, please contact our Development Director using the following form: