May 29, 2008

    Save the date of May 29, 2008, for honoring Peter Diamond, Institute Professor, MIT, as the 2008 recipient of the Robert M. Ball Award for Outstanding Achievements in Social Insurance.

    Join us in honoring Peter A. Diamond, Institute Professor, MIT, as the 2008 recipient of the Robert M. Ball Award for Outstanding Achievements in Social Insurance.

    Each year, the Robert M. Ball award is presented to an individual whose recent work has made a significant impact on the U.S. social insurance system. Selection Criteria:

    • Innovation in changing, educating about or otherwise furthering public understanding and informed policy-making in a specific area of social insurance; and
    • Effectiveness in deepening public understanding, fostering collaboration, informing policy, implementing policy, or teaching others about social insurance.

    This award is named in honor of Robert M. Ball, Commissioner of Social Security from 1962 to 1973, who has been the single most influential individual in advancing American social insurance programs for 60 years. Ball founded the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) in 1986 and continued to advise presidential administrations and policy-makers and write on Social Security, Medicare, national health insurance and welfare until his death in January 2008 at the age of 93.

    Previous Winners of the Robert M. Ball Award:
    (2007) Henry Aaron, Brookings Institution
    (2006) Monroe Berkowitz, Rutgers University
    (2005) Bruce C. Vladeck, then Principal at Ernst & Young
    (2004) Stephen C. Goss, Social Security’s Chief Actuary

    For a complete list of the benefits of sponsoring the 2008 Robert M. Ball Award Reception, review the Sponsorship Benefits List (PDF). If you prefer to respond via fax or snail mail, simply print out the Response Form (PDF) and either fax it or snail mail it to the NASI office.


    This event is part of the Robert M. Ball Living Legacy Series, which furthers the ideals of NASI’s founding chair, who died in January 2008. The series promotes social insurance as a means to achieve economic justice and security for American workers and families. Funding for this event is provided by The Ford Foundation.