Steve McGarry to Receive Silver T-Square Award

Former NCS president Steve McGarry will be honored with the National Cartoonists Society’s Silver T-Square Award at the 66th Annual NCS Reuben Awards on May 26th, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Silver T-Square is awarded, by unanimous vote of the NCS Board of Directors, to persons who have demonstrated outstanding dedication or service to the Society or the profession.

From former NCS president Jeff Keane:

I was asked …well, asked isn’t the right term… was begged to write a few words about Steve McGarry receiving the Silver T-Square Award. Frankly, what can I tell you about Steve that you haven’t heard already… mostly, from Steve himself…

Actually, I am truly honored to write this because I saw first hand what an extraordinary member of the NCS he has been.

The T-Square is given to persons who have shown outstanding service to the society or profession, and a perfect example of that is none other than, Steve McGarry. The list of contributions he has made is long and varied because of his great willingness to help further the cartooning cause in any way needed. After joining the NCS board in 1999, Steve hit the ground running and assembled and oversaw the hilarious Bil Keane roast in New York, the enormously rousing Mike Peter’s Follies and the, well… let’s just say, unforgettable Friday Night Comedy show in Boca… and even after those experiences he agreed to serve two terms as our venerable leader.

Under Steve’s watch the NCS flourished both here at home and abroad. He held Reubens in Cancun, San Francisco, Kansas City and Scottsdale, held seminars with speakers such as Matt Groening, Garry Trudeau, Berke Breathed, Pete Doctor, Jules Feiffer, Gahan Wilson… and Steve didn’t just delegate either, he worked hard to make sure every event under his watch was top-notch. He organized and produced the roasts of Mell Lazarus, Cathy Guisewite and Sergio Aragones… he started the tradition of Karaoke night (only he was able to envision the idea of cartoonists singing as being a pleasant experience)… he oversaw NCS book signings and school seminars, reached out to our colleagues in other countries (especially Australia… probably because they could almost understand his language).

Steve not only was instrumental in making sure the NCS established a presence at San Diego Comic-Con but also designed the extraordinary NCS booth that is so essential to our successful stay there… as if those efforts weren’t enough to promote our profession, Steve was also the driving force behind the NCS Foundation, the charitable arm of our organization. The Foundation not only supports cartooning and cartoonists, but every year gives out the Jay Kennnedy Memorial Scholarship to a deserving college student. Then, after he was finished with his four years, he removed his presidential top hat but kept his volunteer cap on and continued amongst other things to produce the Reuben brochures and helped assemble and direct Award night ceremonies.

Frankly, there has been no bigger fan and supporter of the NCS than Steve McGarry and for that we should all be grateful… I know I am.

Congratulations, Steve!

Caricature by Tom Richmond