School to honor Guinn with award

Monday, May 12, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

SUN STAFF REPORTS

Kenny Guinn, a longtime business and civic leader, will receive the 1997 Greenspun Junior High School Com munication Award during a photojournalism fair at 10 a.m. Friday in the school's library.

The communication award was created in 1992 by Ira Kimball's sixth-grade developmental English students as a living memory to Barbara and Hank Greenspun, for whom the junior high is named. Hank Greenspun founded the Las Vegas SUN in 1950 and was its publisher until his death in 1989. Barbara Greenspun is publisher of the SUN today.

The inscription on the award -- "Contribution to Freedom for all People Through Communication" -- is a tribute to the Greenspuns and how freedom of speech for all people is fostered through the press.

Guinn, former Clark County School District superintendent and interim UNLV president, received his doctorate in education from Utah State University. He has a bachelor's and a master's degree from California State University-Fresno. He also attended the University of Southern California, Stanford University and UNLV.

Guinn entered the field of educational management in 1969, at age 32, as the youngest superintendent of the Clark County School District. He managed one of the nation's largest school systems at a time of rapid growth.

He became president of Southwest Gas Corp. in 1987. A year later he was appointed chairman and chief executive officer.

Guinn also was chairman of the board of PriMerit Bank, a major financial subsidiary of Southwest Gas until the bank was sold to Norwest Bank in 1996.

In addition to serving in a supervisory capacity to many corporate interests, Guinn was appointed in April 1994 by the Board of Regents as interim president of UNLV for one year. He continues to be active in numerous civic, community and professional organizations.

Past recipients of the Greenspun Communication Award include Barbara Greenspun, former Gov. Mike O'Callaghan, Ruthe Deskin, Sig Rogich and Paula Francis.