Ten Outstanding Americans to Receive 2008 Horatio Alger Award & Lifetime Association Membership

Diverse Industries Represented Among Inductees Whose Achievements Have Come in the Face of Adversity


WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - November 26, 2007) - The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is proud to announce the remarkable individuals who have been selected as the 2008 recipients of the Horatio Alger Award. The honor is bestowed upon those individuals who have overcome adversity to achieve great successes through the American free enterprise system. Each honoree will be inducted as a lifetime Member of the Association during a ceremony held in Washington, DC on April 3-5, 2008.

The 2008 recipients of the Horatio Alger Award will be:

--  William F. Austin -- Chief Executive Officer, Starkey
--  J. Robert Beyster -- Retired Chairman and CEO, Science Applications
    International Corporation (SAIC)
--  Gary P. Brinson -- Founder and Trustee, The Brinson Foundation
--  Joseph "Joe" Clark -- Chairman, Aviation Partners Boeing, Chairman &
    CEO, Aviation Partners, Inc.
--  Hadi Makarechian -- Chairman and CEO, Capital Pacific Holdings, Inc.
--  G. Wallace F. McCain -- Co-Founder & Vice President, McCain Foods
    Limited, Chairman, Maple Leaf Foods Inc
--  Lee E. Mikles -- Co-Founder, President and CEO, FutureFuel Corporation
--  Joseph R. Moderow -- Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Board
    member (Retired), United Parcel Service
--  Aulana L. Peters -- Retired Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
--  Robert J. Schlegel -- President and CEO, Pavestone Company, L.P.
    

Those selected have each overcome adversity and humble beginnings to achieve great success and are now able to "give back." They are all contemporary examples of people who have lived and achieved the American Dream.

"By overcoming personal trials to achieve ultimate triumph, these new inductees have all shown dedication, strength and perseverance for success. They showcase the boundless opportunities and endless hope that make up the fabric of America," said Joseph Neubauer, President & CEO of the Horatio Alger Association and Chairman and CEO of the ARAMARK Corporation. "Most importantly, these remarkable individuals are role models for America's youth."

Distinguished individuals have been inducted as members of the Horatio Alger Association annually since 1947. In April 2008, the Association will hold its 61st Annual Horatio Alger Awards to honor and induct this year's recipients as the newest members of the Association. During the Awards event, the Horatio Alger Award winners will meet with high school seniors from around the nation who have been selected to receive Horatio Alger National Scholarships, each valued at $20,000. The events provide an opportunity for some of the nation's most impressive and determined young people to learn firsthand about the philosophies and experiences that helped the 2008 Horatio Alger Award recipients surmount significant obstacles to achieve successful lives.

The Horatio Alger Association offers three annual scholarship programs: the National Scholarship Program, various state scholarship programs for high school seniors and the Horatio Alger Military Veterans Scholarship Program for U.S. veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. The Horatio Alger Association annually awards over $12.5 million in college scholarships and has awarded over $52 million since 1984.

About The Horatio Alger Association

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans continues to fulfill its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals in our society who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. The Horatio Alger Association offers three annual scholarship programs: the National Scholarship Program for high school seniors, various state scholarship programs and the Horatio Alger Military Veterans Scholarship Program for U.S. veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. Award winners receive financial aid counseling and internship placement assistance. For more information about the scholarships, please call (703) 684-9444 or visit www.horatioalger.org.

Contact Information: Contact: Carrie Blewitt Qorvis Communications 703-744-7816