The World Clown Association’s
Clown of the Year Award
Clown of the Year Award
In its early years The World Clown Association selected several “Clowns of the Year”. These
were sometimes special guests attending the annual convention. Other times the current
president bestowed the honor upon a special WCA member. Early honorees included:
1986-Hope Skees (8 year old Delavan convention attendee with life threatening illness)
1987-Don Gonzales (San Diego WCA convention coordinator and board member)
The current annual practice of these selections was begun in 1991. At the encouragement of
the International Clown Hall of Fame, the WCA, along with COAI, ISCA, and CI all were offered
the opportunity to make such a selection. The honoree was then presented with a plaque at the
annual inductions and honored for the year in the ICHOF museum. Since 1991, the WCA has
carried on a process by which they select and honor a distinguished member by bestowing this
award at the annual convention.
The recipients of the Clown of the Year since 1991 are as follows:
were sometimes special guests attending the annual convention. Other times the current
president bestowed the honor upon a special WCA member. Early honorees included:
1986-Hope Skees (8 year old Delavan convention attendee with life threatening illness)
1987-Don Gonzales (San Diego WCA convention coordinator and board member)
The current annual practice of these selections was begun in 1991. At the encouragement of
the International Clown Hall of Fame, the WCA, along with COAI, ISCA, and CI all were offered
the opportunity to make such a selection. The honoree was then presented with a plaque at the
annual inductions and honored for the year in the ICHOF museum. Since 1991, the WCA has
carried on a process by which they select and honor a distinguished member by bestowing this
award at the annual convention.
The recipients of the Clown of the Year since 1991 are as follows:
1991 Richard Snowberg
1992 Pat Frank
1993 Bruce Johnson
1994 Lee Mullally
1995 Dorothy Miller
1996 Carol Jackson
1997 (no award was given)
1998 Barry DeChant
1999 Andrew Stevens
2000 Myron Jackson
2001 Jim Gorgans
2002 Janet Tucker
2003 Jim Roberts
2004 Jim Russell
2005 Jack Anderson
2006 Ruth Matteson
2007 Arlene Feen
1992 Pat Frank
1993 Bruce Johnson
1994 Lee Mullally
1995 Dorothy Miller
1996 Carol Jackson
1997 (no award was given)
1998 Barry DeChant
1999 Andrew Stevens
2000 Myron Jackson
2001 Jim Gorgans
2002 Janet Tucker
2003 Jim Roberts
2004 Jim Russell
2005 Jack Anderson
2006 Ruth Matteson
2007 Arlene Feen
All but six of the awardees have served as president of the organization. Six of the honorees
since 1991 have been female. Andrew Stevens is the sole honoree that resided outside of
the United States.
since 1991 have been female. Andrew Stevens is the sole honoree that resided outside of
the United States.