Sun’s publisher Greenspun to get ADL’s top honor

Friday, May 13, 2005 | 8:47 a.m.

Barbara Greenspun, publisher of the Las Vegas Sun and a leading community philanthropist, will receive the Anti-Defamation League's most prestigious award at the annual American Heritage Dinner on May 26 at Caesars Palace.

"We are pleased to honor Barbara with the Americanism Award for her accomplishments in business, her contributions to community and country, and her dedication to the state of Israel," said ADL National Director Abraham Foxman.

The keynote speaker for the dinner is Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel.

Greenspun, together with her late husband, Hank, bought the Las Vegas Sun in 1950 and made it the most influential newspaper in the state. In 1953 they launched the valley's first television station. In 1970 they founded the first cable television company in Las Vegas.

Four years later they established American Nevada Corporation, which developed the first master-planned community in Southern Nevada, the 8,400-acre Green Valley.

"Barbara is truly an example of the American spirit," said ADL Regional Director Cynthia Luria. "She is a pioneer in business, a leader in philanthropy and an advocate of Israel when the country needed it most. To top it off, she's a dedicated mother, grandmother and great grandmother."

Greenspun is active as a member of the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees, founding member of the Sun Summer Camp Fund, former member of the United Way of Southern Nevada and sponsor of the Barbara Greenspun Lecture Series at UNLV.

She holds an honorary doctorate from UNLV, the Distinguished Nevadan Award from UNLV and the Judah L. Magnes Gold Medal from Hebrew University. She is also a member of the national board of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a life member of Hadassah and a member of Congregation Ner Tamid.

She has four children. Brian, the eldest, is a graduate of Georgetown University Law School, president and editor of the Las Vegas Sun and president of the Greenspun Corporation. Daniel is vice president of the Sun and president of the Greenspun Media Group. Susan serves on the ADL Board and is a national commissioner. Janie is involved with numerous charities and is an animal rights activist.

Reservations for the dinner or arrangements to place a dinner journal greeting can be made through the local ADL office at 862-8600.