Leaders in business, education, entertainment, public service, philanthropy, media, healthcare, sports, and the defense of the United States honored with the prestigious Ellis Island Medals of Honor During Gala on Ellis Island
NEW YORK, May 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) awarded the 2026 Annual Ellis Island Medals of Honor, to 76 recipients including: CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Ola Källenius; celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck; Chief Financial Officer for OpenAI Sarah Friar; Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas; HRH Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud; Filmmaker and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Sundance Film Institute Ebs Burnough; 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recipient Professor Omar Yaghi; Founder of Aspirnaut Dr. Billy Hudson; country music legend Lee Greenwood; international music icon Googoosh; Hon. Michael Pompeo, 70th US Secretary of State. To see the full list of 2026 recipients, please visit: https://www.eihonors.org/2026release
Why, when and where
This year, a total of 76 honorees will be honored for their contributions in business, education, entertainment, public service, philanthropy, media, healthcare, sports, and the defense of the United States. Each medalist has embraced their personal immigrant history and recognizes the role that uniquely American opportunities played in helping them reach their goals.
The medal ceremony took place on Saturday, May 16th, during a black-tie gala held in Ellis Island’s Great Hall, which served as the gateway for 12 million immigrants to the U.S.
“As we honor the enduring legacy of immigrants and the generations who helped shape this nation, we must also dedicate ourselves to building a stronger future for those who follow,” said Ellis Island Honors Society Chairman Nasser J. Kazeminy. “Ellis Island stands as a symbol of hope, resilience, and possibility. The individuals we honored tonight represent the very best of that legacy – people whose achievements have not only shaped industries and institutions, but have also inspired others to believe in what is possible through hard work, courage, and service.”
For 39 years, the Ellis Island Honors Society has been fostering acceptance, respect, and understanding among diverse ethnic and cultural groups by celebrating acclaimed Americans of immigrant descent and others of distinguished character for their contributions to the world. EIHS is a 501(c)3 non-profit, which, in addition to presenting the Ellis Island Medals of Honor, is a humanitarian organization supporting educational opportunities for students with immigrant heritage and preserving the Ellis Island National Monument.
Among those honored
Since the Medal was founded in 1986, EIHS has honored distinguished and diverse Americans including: eight Presidents of the United States, Nobel Laureates Elie Wiesel and Malala Yousufzai; Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell; Justices Antonin Scalia and Sandra Day O’Connor; Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton; Bob Hope; Muhammad Ali; Frank Sinatra; Rosa Parks; Mike Wallace and Rita Moreno. All have distinguished themselves through their significant philanthropic, artistic, intellectual and humanitarian contributions to this country.
The Ellis Island Medals of Honor rank among the nation’s most renowned awards. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have officially recognized the Ellis Island Medals of Honor, and each year the recipients are listed in the Congressional Record.
ABOUT US
The Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) was founded on the conviction that the diversity of the American people is what makes this nation great. EIHS honors the contributions made by immigrants and their descendants throughout American history. We do this by creating scholarships with a focus on immigration, supporting cultural events and programs around the nation, and mobilizing our community of Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients to raise funds for disaster relief worldwide.
www.EIHonors.org
@EIHonors
#EIMoH
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SOURCE Ellis Island Honors Society
