EUGENE, Ore. -- (April 13, 2009) - Longtime leader and advocate for historic preservation, James Hamrick has been chosen to receive a new honor, the 2009 McMath Award. Hamrick served for 25 years in guiding and leading the state of Oregon's heritage conservation efforts.

The University of Oregon and Venerable Group, Inc. plan to give the award annually to an individual who exhibits life-long commitment to historic preservation. Presentation of the award will be held on Thursday, May 28, at a luncheon at the UO in Portland White Stag Block, 70 N.W. Couch St.

Most recently, Hamrick served as Oregon Parks and Recreation Department's assistant director of the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office. Although he retired in July 2008, he continues to work for Oregon 150, the non-profit organization charged by Governor Ted Kulongoski with coordinating the 2009 Oregon Sesquicentennial celebration.

Hamrick managed or was a member of several important policy-making and advisory organizations including: Historic Columbia River Highway Advisory Committee, Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Historic Trails Advisory Council, State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation, and Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries.

Early in his career, Hamrick served as architectural historian and deputy state historic preservation officer for the State of Nevada. He is a past board member of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers and past vice president of the Marion Dean Ross Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians.

The award honors the late George McMath, a preservationist and architect, who is widely remembered as one of the most important figures in the preservation and restoration of Portland's historic buildings.

Tickets to the McMath Award luncheon are $50. Proceeds will provide financial aid for students enrolled in the UO master's program in historic preservation. For more information or to reserve tickets, contact 541-346-3697.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of the 62 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Contact: Karen Johnson, AAA communications, 541-346-3603, karenjj@uoregon.edu

Source: Kingston Heath, professor and director, historic preservation program, 541-346-2115, kwheath@uoregon.edu

Links: Historic Preservation Program, http://hp.uoregon.edu/financialaid/mcmath; Oregon 150, http://www.oregon150.org/

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