# Roe Award

The Roe Award is an annual award given by the State Policy Network that "pays tribute to those in the state public policy movement whose achievements have greatly advanced the free market philosophy" and "recognizes leadership, innovation and accomplishment in public policy." The award was established in 1992, and it is named after Thomas A. Roe, the late founder of the State Policy Network.
During the first decade of the award, there were multiple winners. Beginning in 2003, the prize was limited to one winner per year. The ceremony in 2013 marked the first time three individuals from one organization had received the Roe Award. The Mackinac Center was also honored for their 25-year effort to pass right-to-work law in Michigan. Five other state-based think tanks have two individuals with the award.

## Award recipients

| Year | Recipient | Organization | Meeting Location |
| 2021 | Justin Owen | Beacon Center of Tennessee | Orlando, Florida |
| 2019 | Kimberly O. Dennis | Searle Freedom Trust | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| 2018 | John Kramer | Institute for Justice | Denver, Colorado |
| 2016 | Clint Bolick | Arizona Supreme Court | Nashville, Tennessee |
| 2015 | Whitney Ball | Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| 2014 | Jeff Coors | Golden Technologies Company | Denver, Colorado |
| 2013 | Joe Lehman | Mackinac Center for Public Policy | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| 2012 | David R. Brown | Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and The Heritage Foundation | Amelia Island, Florida |
| 2011 | John Tillman | Illinois Policy Institute | Seattle, Washington |
| 2010 | Tarren Bragdon | Maine Heritage Policy Center | Cleveland, Ohio |
| 2009 | Art Pope | John William Pope Foundation | Asheville, North Carolina |
| 2008 | Brooke Rollins | Texas Public Policy Foundation | Scottsdale, Arizona |
| 2007 | Kevin Gentry | Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation | Portland, Maine |
| 2006 | Darcy Olsen | Goldwater Institute | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| 2005 | Jon Caldara | Independence Institute | Charleston, South Carolina |
| 2004 | Sally Pipes | Pacific Research Institute | Austin, Texas |
| 2003 | Gisèle Huff | Jaquelin Hume Foundation | Seattle, Washington |
| 2002 | Jo Kwong | Atlas Economic Research Foundation | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 2002 | Gary Palmer | Alabama Policy Institute | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 2001 | Steve Buckstein | Cascade Policy Institute | Boulder, Colorado |
| 2001 | Bridgett G. Wagner | The Heritage Foundation | Boulder, Colorado |
| 2000 | J. Stanley Marshall | James Madison Institute | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 2000 | William H. "Chip" Mellor | Institute for Justice | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 2000 | Lovett "Pete" Peters | Pioneer Institute | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 1999 | Grover Norquist | Americans for Tax Reform | Dallas, Texas |
| 1999 | Robert W. Poole, Jr. | Reason Foundation | Dallas, Texas |
| 1998 | C.C. Guy | South Carolina Policy Council | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 1998 | Edward T. McMullen Jr. | South Carolina Policy Council | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 1998 | John M. Hood | John Locke Foundation | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 1998 | Joseph P. Overton | Mackinac Center for Public Policy | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 1997 | Carl Helstrom | JM Foundation | Tempe, Arizona |
| 1997 | Bob Williams | Evergreen Freedom Foundation | Tempe, Arizona |
| 1996 | William Eggers | Reason Foundation | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 1996 | John Fund | The Wall Street Journal | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 1996 | Lawrence Reed | Mackinac Center for Public Policy | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 1994 | John Andrews | Texas Public Policy Foundation | Tampa, Florida |
| 1994 | Joseph Bast | The Heartland Institute | Tampa, Florida |
| 1993 | Joseph Dolan | JM Foundation | Traverse City, Michigan |
| 1993 | Thomas A. Roe | Roe Foundation | Traverse City, Michigan |
| 1993 | J. Patrick Rooney | Golden Rule Insurance Company | Traverse City, Michigan |