Media Pioneer Ted Turner Receives James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award at The Tech Awards

SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - November 14, 2014) - Ted Turner, the visionary and entrepreneur who revolutionized the telecommunications industry, founded CNN and the United Nations Foundation, and serves as Chairman of The Turner Foundation, received the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award before an audience of more than 1,200 guests Thursday at the 14th annual gala of The Tech Awards, a signature program of The Tech Museum of Innovation. The event also honored 10 international laureates who are using technology to benefit humanity.

"It is truly an honor to receive the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award and to join such a stellar roster of past recipients," Turner said in his remarks at the gala.

Sponsored by Applied Materials, Inc., the Global Humanitarian Award honors individuals whose vision and leadership are focused on combating the world's greatest problems.

Turner joins a remarkable list of past Global Humanitarian Award recipients, including inventor Dean Kamen, Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy, social entrepreneur Jeff Skoll, education and cross-cultural dialogue advocate Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Nobel laureate and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Applied Materials Chairman Emeritus James C. Morgan, who inspired the award a decade ago.

"Ted set out not only to change the world, but to make it better," said Applied Materials Executive Chairman Mike Splinter at the gala Thursday night. "Through the Turner Foundation, he vigorously pursues efforts for improving air and water quality, developing a sustainable energy future, safeguarding environmental health and habitats, and advocating for policies to curb population growth. With his historic pledge of $1 billion to the United Nations Foundation, Ted stands as a role model for others to commit great wealth to great purpose."

Presented by Applied Materials, The Tech Awards has recognized 277 laureates since its inception in 2001. This year's laureates, once again, are doing life-changing work that affects people in nearly every corner of the globe. They include Nanoly, a team of young scientists from the University of Colorado who developed technology that eliminates the need to refrigerate vaccines, and myAgro, which provides a mobile platform for West African subsistence farmers to save money for seed and fertilizer.