The Rockford Register Star’s Excalibur Award is given to an individual who through excellence in community service has made a difference in the Rock River Valley. The Excelsior Award goes to an organization for doing the same. Gary Anderson is an Excalibur finalist.
Name: Gary W. Anderson
Occupation: Architect, owner of Studio GWA
About the nominee: Architect and historic preservationist Gary Anderson has played a key role in the resurgence of downtown Rockford, culminating with the redevelopment of the dilapidated former Amerock factory into the four-star Hilton Embassy Suites and Lawrence J. Morrissey Conference Center. If not for Anderson and the Friends of Ziock a group of preservationists and residents he helped to form it might have been demolished years ago.