The SPARK Awards
Stay tuned to learn about this year's honorees in December 2023! Thank you for nominating.
VIEW PAST SPARK AWARD WINNERS
Click here to see Past SPARK Award Winners
Corporate: 100 employees or fewer
2014: Agape North
2015: Data Facts
2016: Reynolds, Bone & Griesbeck, PLC
2017: Champion
2018: Transnetyx
2019: TopCat Masonry
2020: Start2Finish Events
2021: Grind City Kicks
2022: ServiceMaster by Cornerstone
Corporate: 100-499
2014: Duncan Williams
2015: Phelps Security
2016: Huey’s Restaurants
2017: ServiceMaster by Stratos
2018: ARS / Rescue Rooter
2019: Buckman
2020: Radians, Inc.
2021: Nucor Logistics
2022: Monogram Foods
Corporate: 500+
2014: FedEx
2015: Monogram Foods
2016: ServiceMaster
2017: International Paper
2018: Kroger, Delta Division
2019: Hollywood Feed
2020: Campbell Clinic
2021: Baptist Memorial Health Care
2022: Smith+Nephew
Education: Educator
2014: Douglas Campbell
2015: Blair Trotz
2016: Derrick Brown
2017: Tonyal Mathes
2018: Thomas Denson
2019: Mary Riddle
2020: Roya Alizadegan
2021: Allyson Chick
2022: Dr. Nia Zalamea
Education: Leadership
2014: Principal Lionel Cable
2015: Rodney Rowan
2016: Bud Richey
2017: Darla Young
2018: Dr. M. David Rudd
2019: Archie Moss
2020: Kandi Hill-Clarke
2021: Dr. Patricia Brafford
2022: Malcom Rawls
Education: School
2014: Rhodes College
2015: St. George’s Independent School
2016: Grahamwood Elementary
2017: St. Agnes -St. Dominic
2018: Rhodes College
2019: University Middle
2020: Frederick Douglass High School
2021: Kirby Middle School
2022: The University of Memphis Finish Line Program
Individual: Adult
2014: Walter Casey
2015: Dennis Rutledge
2016: Katie Midgley
2017: Joseph Tyler
2018: Dana & Frazer Gieselmann
2019: Jon Neal
2020: Paul A. Young
2021: Doug Bell
2022: Chris Hope
Individual: Collegiate
2014: Austin Ehrat
2015: Greg Snook
2016: Brandon Branch
2017: Myles Franklin
2018: Erin Lisa Aulfinger
2019: Edgar Cruz
2020: Nuanqiu Hou
2021: Matthew Szalaj
2022: Holly McGinnis
Individual: Youth
2014: Kayden Bowie
2015: Nikkia Brown
2016: Matthew Stroud
2017: Timmy Becton
2018: Elianna Hills
2019: Logan Guleff
2020: Myles Butler
2021: Miller Manguno
2022: Megan Yost
Legacy Award
2014: Stephen Reynolds
2015: Barbara King
2016: Rick Shadyac
2017: Herman Morris
2018: Glenda Hastings
2019: Bill Morris
2020: Bill Sehnert
2021: Craig Littles
2022: Edward Bogard
Nonprofit: Budget $1 million to $5 million
2014: BRIDGES
2015: The Exchange Club
2016: Best Buddies Tennessee
2017: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis
2018: Alzheimer’s & Dementia Services of Memphis, Inc.
2019: Peer Power Foundation
2020: Slingshot Memphis
2021: Memphis Child Advocacy Center
2022: MENTOR Memphis Grizzlies
Nonprofit: Budget + $5 million
2014: Habitat for Humanity
2015: MIFA
2016: Resurrection Health
2017: ALSAC/ St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
2018: Meritan, Inc.
2019: Agape Child & Family Services
2020: Memphis Jewish Community Center
2021: Palmer Home for Children
2022: Church Health
Nonprofit: Budget under $1 million
2014: Junior League of Memphis
2015: Camp Good Grief
2016: Memphis Inner City Rugby
2017: Herb Kosten Foundation
2018: STS Enterprise Corporation
2019: ARISE2Read
2020: Room in the Inn – Memphis
2021: Memphis Shelby Pal
2022: Healing Hearts Child Advocacy
The SPARK Awards is an extension of the WKNO-TV series, The SPARK, a monthly 30-minute show, hosted by Jeremy C. Park, about business and community leaders who are fueling change and giving back to the Mid-South. “The SPARK Awards grew from the success of our monthly show, The SPARK, which is now in its tenth year on WKNO,” notes Park. “With both shows our goal is simple: to spotlight the GOOD taking place in our city and how we can become a SPARK to make an even greater difference and to help more people.”
Major funding for The SPARK and The SPARK Awards is provided by Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance, a Higginbotham partner, and Champion Promotion, as an additional major funder for The SPARK Awards. Additional funding is provided by Meritan, The Memphis Zoo, Economic Opportunities (EcOp), and My Town Movers/My Town Roofing/My Town Miracles. Event support for The SPARK Awards was provided by Nolan Audio Video Solution. A co-production of WKNO and cityCURRENT, The SPARK airs the third Friday of each month at 7:30 p.m. on WKNO/Channel 10.
About cityCURRENT
cityCURRENT connects businesses with community to power the GOOD. A team of partner businesses, comprised of some of the largest employers in the world to mid-size and smaller firms, join forces and funds to make a difference in the Mid-South, Middle Tennessee and beyond by hosting more than 300 free events each year, along with an array of philanthropic initiatives and positive-oriented media to enrich, engage, and impact our community. For more information: www.cityCURRENT.com.
About WKNO
WKNO is a non-profit, private foundation serving the Mid-South for more than 65 years. An important community resource, WKNO uses the power of non-commercial public broadcasting to provide the Mid-South with quality educational and cultural programs that inform, entertain, and inspire. For more information: www.wkno.org