The Ebony Pathfinder Awards: a tribute to excellence

The first annual Ebony Pathfinder Awards, awarded by the editors of Ebony magazine, were presented to three extraordinary individuals whose accomplishments illustrate the pioneering spirit upon which Ebony magazine was founded.

The Award Recipients

The first recipients of the Ebony Pathfinder Awards, all members of the National Football League family, were honored during Super Bowl weekend at Seldom Blues Supper Club in Detroit. Each one represents the best in football and philanthropy.

Art Shell

Senior Vice President of Football Operations and Development National Football League

Shell, the first African-American NFL head coach in the NFL modern era, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989 after a stellar career as a tackle for the Oakland-Los Angeles Raiders from 1968-1982. Having overcome a variety of challenges and having broken so many barriers throughout his career, Coach Shell has been an inspiration, leader and mentor to people across the country. Now Senior Vice President of Football Operations and Development, Shell supervises all NFL football operations and development, including regular-season and postseason operations, NFL Europe League operations, the NFL Officiating Department and the NFL's relationship with college football. After his playing career, Shell became the Los Angeles Raiders' offensive line coach from 1983-89, and was named the team's head coach during the 1989 season. He compiled a 56-41 won-lost record as head coach through the 1994 season. Shell was the offensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1995-96 and for the Atlanta Falcons from 1997-2000. Shell played in 207 regular-season games and 24 playoff contests, including Super Bowls XI and XV. He also appeared in eight Pro Bowls.

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Rena Clark,

Vice President--Community Affairs and Corporate Philanthropy New England Patriots

On May 1, 2003, Rena Clark joined the New England Patriots as Vice President of Community Affairs and Corporate Philanthropy. As a vice president, Clark is responsible for all team-related community initiatives and outreach programs. She also oversees all of the charitable efforts for the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation (NEPCF) and similar activities for the Kraft Group. In her first year, the NEPCF contributed more than $1 million in grants, scholarships and in-kind donations to non-profit organizations throughout New England. In addition to charitable donations, the NEPCF also sponsors the team's community initiatives, youth football programs and player development programs. Clark has more than 17 years of corporate managerial experience in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. She spent four years at General Electric and a year at Bain & Company in Boston before returning to Harvard University's Graduate School of Business as the director of MBA program administration and chief operating officer in 1991. Prior to joining the Patriots, Clark acquired, built and operated two middle-market-sized manufacturing companies. She participates in a variety of community organizations and serves on the board of overseers for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Northern New England and the Harvard Business School African American Alumni Association. Clark graduated with honors from Lamar University with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and holds a master's degree in business administration from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business.

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Warrick Dunn

Atlanta Falcons

Known as much for his off-the-field successes as his on-field talents, Warrick Dunn, an Atlanta Falcons running back, has motivated people with his strong dedication to the communities in which he has lived and worked. Through the Warrick Dunn Foundation, the 2004 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year has demonstrated the significance and positive impact an athlete can have off the field. "Homes for the Holidays" is a program through which the Warrick Dunn Foundation, established in 1997, helps single mothers become first-time homeowners by making the down payments on new, fully furnished homes. To date, the program has assisted 52 single mothers and profoundly touched the lives of their children and dependents in Atlanta, Tampa and Baton Rouge, La. Dunn's motivation stems from the memory of his mother, Betty Smothers, a Baton Rouge police officer and single parent who was killed in the line of duty in 1993, before she could realize her dream of buying her own home. Through the generosity of corporate partners and contributing organizations, Dunn went the extra mile and filled the homes with the necessary supplies, including furniture, linens, lawn and gardening supplies, washer, dryer, food, pots and pans, dishes, etc. Dunn, who has received the NFL Extra Effort Award and the Giants Step Award in Civic Leadership, has also received recognition for his contributions off the field from prestigious organizations such as the National Alliance to End Homelessness (which presented him with the John H. Macy Award for Individual Leadership), National Center for Black Philanthropy and the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Awards. He made the list of "101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports" by Sports Illustrated in 2003, and three times has been named one of the Sporting News' Top 75 Good Guys in Sports.