December 13, 2010
Rose Parade fans join 2011 Float Judges Nancy Clarke, Debbie Turner,
Kirk Hendrix in choosing the 2011 float award winners
PASADENA, Calif. (December 13, 2010) – The Tournament of Roses® announced today that Rose Parade fans will once again join 2011 float judges Nancy Clarke, Debbie Turner and Kirk Hendrix in awarding the trophies for the 2011 Rose Parade® presented by Honda Float Awards. For the third year in a row, the Viewers’ Choice Award will allow Rose Parade fans to choose their favorite float by voting online and for the first time ever fans will have the opportunity to vote via text message.
The 122nd Rose Parade presented by Honda, themed Building Dreams, Friendships and Memories, will feature a number of outstanding eligible float entries but only 25 entries will be selected to receive awards in a variety of categories and specifications including the Viewers’ Choice Award. This year, all broadcast outlets have the opportunity to participate in the Viewers’ Choice Award process, making participation even more exciting.
Viewers will be able to submit their vote for the Viewer’s Choice Award by texting the keyword FLOAT followed by the Float I.D. to 50649 or by voting online (visit our www.tournamentofroses.com/viewers-choice-award for more information). Fans can vote up to five times for their favorite float. Voting will take place from 8:00 a.m. (PST) to 2:10 p.m. (PST) on January 1, 2011.
“The Viewers’ Choice Award allows fans from all around the world to have the opportunity to join our prestigious judges in awarding the entries in the 122nd Rose Parade,” said Gene Gregg, chairman of the Tournament of Roses Judging Committee. “We are very excited to have parade fans get involved once again and bring back the award for a third year in a row.”
For the last two years, parade fans chose Cal Poly University as the winner of the Viewers’ Choice Award. Cal Poly’s 2010 float, themed “Jungle Cuts,” received 20,788 votes out of a total of 50,535 votes submitted. The float featured wild animals receiving haircuts and makeovers from monkey barbers performing high above the tree tops. Cal Poly’s 2010 float, themed “Jungle Cuts,” received 20,788 votes out of a total of 50,535 votes submitted.
For all awards other than the Viewers’ Choice Award, the 2011 Tournament of Roses float judges will have the traditional task of judging the beautiful floats from a professional perspective.
The judges’ scores are based on criteria such as creative design, floral craftsmanship, artistic merit, computerized animation, thematic interpretation, floral and color presentation and dramatic impact.
About the 2011 Rose Parade Float Judges:
For 30 years, Nancy Clarke’s beautiful floral displays and exquisite designs brought true elegance to the White House. She not only decorated the historical building, but she also spearheaded the floral décor for many presidential events including the Camp David Accords during the Carter Administration, the Russian Summit during the Reagan Administration, the NATO 50th Anniversary Summit during the Clinton Administration, and most recently, the first 100 days of President Obama’s Administration.
In August 1978, Clarke volunteered as a floral designer, alongside the permanent staff, to decorate the executive residence for President Reagan. In 1981, Clarke became a full time staff member of the White House Flower Shop and in 1985 became Chief Floral Designer, a position she held until she retired in 2009. She not only designed extravagant items for events such as formal State dinners, but also contributed to the arrangements adorning the House, from the bouquets on the First Lady’s night stand to the elegant displays in the entry way.
Clarke is the co-author of the forthcoming book currently titled “My First Ladies: A Floral History of the White House.” She has also authored articles appearing in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, The Washingtonian, U.S. News & World Report, and has been featured in various programs online and on television. Adding to her accomplishments, Clarke was named “The Flower Czar” by the Wall Street Journal. Her floral work is beloved by both national and international audiences and it is with great pleasure that she adds Tournament of Roses Float Judge to her long list of credentials.
Kirk Hendrix has spent 33 years in the special events industry leading some of the nation’s largest events. In September, he was inducted into the International Festival & Events Association (IFEA) Hall of Fame.
Hendrix currently serves as the President and CEO of the Indianapolis’ 500 Festival, leading one of the nation’s largest festivals. For the past eight years, he has been responsible for producing and promoting nearly 50 annual events and programs. Recently, the 500 Festival was recognized in the National Geographic book, “USA 101: A Guide to American’s Iconic Places, Events, and Festivals.” The 500 Festival joined the Tournament of Roses as two of the entries amongst the article titled, “10 Great Places to Find True Americana.”
Hendrix is passionate about parades, since he is a veteran national parade producer and highly versed in float design and production. Working alongside various designers and float builders for the 500 Festival Parade, Hendrix also served as the president of the Parade Company in Detroit producing Americas’ Thanksgiving Parade, which operated its own in-house float design and building operation.
Hendrix spent the first 15 years of his career in collegiate sports. He served as assistant commissioner of the Pac-10 Conference, where he was responsible for the league’s television negotiations and programming, marketing and licensing needs, and was the Pac-10’s liaison to
bowl games. He also served as associate director of the Fiesta Bowl, and, was president of Las Vegas Events, where he promoted events in the entertainment capitol. One of his most notable ventures was serving as co-venue press chief for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Debbie Turner is an accomplished floral designer and owner of “Debbie Turner Originals, DTO Flowers, LLC,” an upscale floral design company in Chanhassen, Minnesota. In the early years of her business, Turner focused on permanent arrangements designed with permanent flowers and greenery from all over the world. As the company evolved, Turner broadened her focus to include fresh floral arrangements, now the primary focus of the business, for weddings, other events, and holiday décor. In 2008, Turner was asked to design the flowers for The Republican National Convention in Minnesota.
From the early age of six months, Turner was involved in acting. She is most notably known for her role as Marta von Trapp in the classic film, “The Sound of Music,” starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Turner has continued her involvement with the entertainment business making numerous television appearances. She most recently recorded an episode of “Oprah,” marking the release of the 45th anniversary edition Blu-Ray/DVD of the film and the announcement of the “experience” book she and her “Sound of Music” family are writing. The book will be available in stores October, 2011.
Born in Pasadena at Huntington Memorial Hospital, and raised in the neighboring city of Arcadia, Turner is no stranger to the Rose Parade. Attending the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day was an annual family event when she was growing up. Her sister, Pat, rode on Arcadia’s float as the city’s Queen in 1966. One of her fondest memories is the time she, her mother, and sisters helped decorate a local community Rose Parade float.