Carrie Underwood Honored At T.J. Martell Honors Gala

Carrie Underwood and Sony CEO Doug Morris

The T.J. Martell Foundation raised $1.4 million at its 38^th Annual Honors Gala Tuesday night (Oct. 22) in New York, and honored several CEOs along with Carrie Underwood, who received the organization’s Artist Achievement Award. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin flew in especially for the event to honor fellow Oklahoma native Underwood, who was presented the special award by Sony CEO Doug Morris.

Big Machine President Scott Borchetta was also on hand at the event to present Anne Staunchfield from the Target Corporation with the company’s Spirit of Excellence Award. Other recipients during the gala included Jennifer Breithaupt, SVP of Marketing of Citi; Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports; and John Sykes, President of Clear Channel Entertainment Enterprises, who received his Lifetime Music Industry Achievement Award from longtime friend former President Bill Clinton.

“When I started this Foundation with several of my peers in the music and entertainment business in honor of my son T.J., I wanted to do all that I could to make sure other families would not have to suffer the way my family did,” said Tony Martell, Founder & Chairman of the T.J. Martell Foundation. “Our annual New York Honors Gala is one of the most important fundraisers we produce and without it we could not continue to offer the patient services or cutting-edge research for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS.”

The gala concluded with special performances from both Sting and Bryan Adams. Since its inception in 1975, The T.J. Martell Foundation has raised more than $250 million for research that supports the 12 top hospitals in the U.S.

Pictured (L-R): Laura Heatherly, CEO of TJ Martell Foundation; Honoree Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports; Honoree John Sykes, President of Clear Channel Entertainment Enterprises; President Bill Clinton; Honoree Anne Stanchfield of Target Corporation; Honoree Jennifer Breithaupt, SVP of Marketing Citi; Carrie Underwood; Tony Martell, Founder of the TJ Martell Foundation; and Chris Mattioli, Director of the TJ Martell Foundation.