2021 KID Best Friend Award Night

KID Best Friend Award Night – September 29, 2021

Dr. Erin Mannen

KID’s annual Best Friend Award (BFA) Night was held on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, from 6-8pm CT at the Gleacher Center in Chicago for our vaccinated guests and it was also live-streamed for those who couldn’t attend in person. The BFA Night marks our progress, honors the memory of Danny and other victims of unsafe children’s products, and celebrates champions of children’s safety. The BFA Night is KID’s primary annual fundraising event and the proceeds support our lifesaving programs year-round. You can watch the full program on YouTube here.

We were delighted this year to honor Dr. Erin Mannen, a biomechanical engineer and professor at Boise State who founded the Boise Applied Biomechanics of Infants program (BABI), for her groundbreaking infant sleep research which has led to policy changes and has saved lives. Thank you to everyone who joined us either in person or virtually and thank you to our honoree Dr. Mannen for sharing her amazing story with us, our  donors, emcee Lisa Parker of NBC 5 Chicago, Wolfgang Puck Catering for their amazing food, and The Gleacher Center for hosting us.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Tomasik Kotin Kasserman Trial Lawyers, Turano Baking Co., GATX Corp., Cuda Law Offices, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Breathable Baby, Kelly’s Pub, Linda Ginzel & Boaz Keysar, Heather Mason & Perry Lentine, Julia & Sonny Garg, Dr. & Mrs. Robert Tanz, Don Mays & Jonea Gurwitt, Ayesha Rafique & Sunil Mehra, Holly Raider & Jerold Lavin, Susan Nied, and Keith Rhoades.

Past Best Friend Awardees

2020

2019

2018

  • Linda Ginzel and Boaz Keysar, KID Founders for 20 years of dedication to fighting for children’s product safety

2017

  • The SEGAL DESIGN INSTITUTE AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY for its participation in KID’s Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) program.
  • MICHIGAN ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN for their participation in KID’s Teach Early Safety Testing (TEST) program
  • The INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AT THE ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY for its work with KID on innovations to improve recall effectiveness.
  • THE RUSTANDY CENTER FOR SOCIAL SECTOR INNOVATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS for its support of KID.

2016

  • Lisa M. Turano for her voice in support of children’s product safety and philanthropic support for KID

2015

  • Barbara Guthrie for her leadership on children’s safety at Underwriters Laboratories

2014

  • Inez Tenenbaum for her leadership on children’s product safety

2013

  • Shawn Kasserman for his strong voice in support of children’s product safety

2012

  • Sonny Garg for his instrumental role in developing responses to unsafe children’s products and his strong leadership in KID

2011

  • Mitch Lipka for his commitment to reporting on children’s product safety

2010

  • Gary Smith, MD for his pioneering work in the field of childhood injury prevention

2009

  • US Representative Bobby Rush and US Senator Mark Pryor for their commitment to children and leadership on product safety

2008

  • US Senator Richard Durbin for his commitment to children and leadership on product safety

2007

  • Robert Tanz, MD and Elizabeth Powell, MD, MPH for their leadership in injury prevention research and policy

2006

  • Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan for her enforcement of Illinois’ Children’s Product Safety Act and her strong commitment to children’s safety

2005

  • Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm for her support of the Children’s Product Safety Act and advocacy for children’s safety

2004

  • Rachel Weintraub and Mary Ellen Fise for their role as strong advocates for children’s product safety

2003

  • Commissioner Caroline Shoenberger, State Senator Carol Ronen and US Representative Jan Schakowsky for their dedication to changing public policy to protect children

2002

  • NBC Target 5 Consumer Unit for outstanding coverage of children’s product safety

2001

  • E. Marla Felcher for her groundbreaking book, It’s No Accident: How Corporations Sell Dangerous Baby Products