Steven Green, President of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., to Receive 2024 Horatio Alger Award  

The Horatio Alger Association names 11 outstanding individuals, each of whom has overcome adversity to achieve professional and personal success, to its Member Class of 2024 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 6, 2024) – Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that Steven T. Green, President of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., has been selected for membership in this prestigious organization. Mr. Green joins 10 other exceptional business, civic and cultural leaders from across North America in receiving 2024 honors. For more than 75 years, the Horatio Alger Award has been annually bestowed upon esteemed individuals who have succeeded despite facing adversities, and who have remained committed to higher education and charitable efforts in their communities.  

The grandson of a preacher, Mr. Green was raised in Oklahoma City. Faith played a large role in his upbringing, and he learned the value of hard work from a young age as he watched his father work hard to provide for his family. Mr. Green opted to enter the work force after high school graduation, beginning his remarkable decades-long career with Hobby Lobby. He started as a stock boy and rose through the ranks, soon becoming a store manager before later managing multiple stores and overseeing entire departments. In 2000, he was promoted to executive vice president and four years later, became president of the billion-dollar arts and crafts store company, which today has over 1,000 stores spanning nearly all 50 states. 

“Steven Green is an exemplary business leader who is deeply committed to giving back to others,” said Terrence J. Giroux, executive director, Horatio Alger Association. “From his remarkable rise in the corporate world to his important philanthropic work, he has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to creating a brighter future. Mr. Green’s faith and desire to share the lessons he’s learned throughout his life with the next generation will serve the Horatio Alger Association well.” 

In addition to his immensely successful business career, Mr. Green made significant contributions to philanthropy, particularly in education and youth development. As Chairman of the Board for the Museum of the Bible, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Charlotte. In 2015, Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City honored him with an Honorary Doctor of Biblical Literature, recognizing his commitment to the intersection of faith and education. Mr. Green has written four books: “Faith in America” (2011), “The Bible in America” (2013), “This Dangerous Book” (2017), and “This Beautiful Book” (2019). 

“I did not pursue a college degree, yet am deeply aware of its value and the doors it can open for young people,” said Mr. Green. “I believe that higher education should be accessible to anyone who wishes to pursue it. Being honored with the Horatio Alger Award will give me the opportunity to share my experience and wisdom with the next generation and help make their educational dreams a reality.” 

2024 marks the 40^th year that the Association has awarded annual need-based scholarships to high school students who have displayed dedication to pursuing higher education despite significant obstacles throughout their lives.  The Association, which aims to preserve and protect the American Dream for future generations, also seeks to educate young people about the endless opportunities available by the free-enterprise system through commitment, honesty, and diligence. The scholarships are made possible thanks to the generosity of Horatio Alger Members, who will have collectively provided more than $245 million to over 35,000 students. 

“It is our utmost honor to present the Horatio Alger Award to these 11 outstanding leaders who have exemplified perseverance, passion and a deep appreciation for higher education,” said James F. Dicke II, chairman, Horatio Alger Association and 2015 Horatio Alger Award recipient. “These influential leaders not only spearhead their own endeavors, but they give generously to causes, organizations and communities in need. Our 2024 awardees embody the Association’s mission and are proof that the American Dream is within reach for anyone who seeks it.”  

Mr. Green and the Member Class of 2024 will be formally inducted into the Association on April 4-6, 2024, during the Association’s annual Horatio Alger Award Induction Ceremonies in Washington, D.C. The three-day event is an annual ceremony to honor both the achievements of Members and National Scholars, who will have multiple opportunities to meet, interact and exchange stories of perseverance.  

  

For more information about Horatio Alger Association and its Member Class of 2024, please visit www.horatioalger.org and follow the organization on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.  

  

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About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:  

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, in 2023, the Association awarded more than $18 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships to 1,800 students across the United States and Canada, and provided college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Over the past 40 years, more than $245 million has been awarded in undergraduate, graduate, military veteran and career and technical education scholarships to more than 35,000 deserving students. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.