The Second Annual Samuel Cunard Prize for Vision, Courage and Creativity Awarded to John Risley

VALENCIA, Calif., July 27, 2016 /CNW/ -- Cunard, along with the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, will award the second annual Samuel Cunard Prize for Vision, Courage and Creativity to John Risley, President of Clearwater Fine Foods Incorporated. The Nova Scotian resident will be given the award at a luncheon on September 10, 2016, on board flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2 while she is docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The Samuel Cunard Prize was inaugurated in 2015 to celebrate the company's 175^th Anniversary in the ancestral home of its founder Sir Samuel Cunard. The award acknowledges an extraordinary individual who demonstrates the qualities exemplified by Cunard throughout his life.

An active member in community affairs, John Risley, sits on the Board of a number of charitable organizations. He is Chair of Futurpreneur Canada and co-Chair of the Capital Campaign for the Nature Conservancy. He engages in public policy debate, is Chairman of the Atlantic Institute of Market Studies, a member of the World President's Organization, The Chief Executives Organization and is a director of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. Risley was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and was inducted into the Nova Scotia Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame in 1997.

"I am honoured and humbled to be receiving the 2016 Samuel Cunard Prize for Vision, Courage and Creativity," said Risley. "Samuel Cunard played an instrumental role in building industries and economic growth here in Halifax, and I am thrilled to be recognized as continuing his vision and upholding his ideals for this city."

Local dignitaries, port officials, and key members of the community will be in attendance on September 10 to recognize Risley and celebrate his award and his commitment to the future of Halifax.

"On behalf of Cunard, we are proud to work with the Canadian Maritime Heritage Foundation and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in honoring John Risley as the second annual Samuel Cunard Prize recipient," said Richard Meadows, President, Cunard North America. "Samuel Cunard was a visionary who was born and raised in Halifax, and we are esteemed to continue to recognize the legacy of his work through this significant event in the company's ancestral home."

Queen Mary 2 recently completed a significant Remastering, with a refit costing in the region of $132 million. The extensive renovation includes new staterooms, its first staterooms for solo passengers, expanded kennels, new dining venues and public spaces, and 594,000 square-feet of new carpet.

For more information about Queen Mary 2, or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Agent, call Cunard Line toll-free at 1-800-728-6273, or visit www.cunard.com.

About Queen Mary 2 
Christened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2004, Cunard's flagship Queen Mary 2 defines luxury travel for the 21st Century and continues a 176-year legacy of transatlantic travel. Queen Mary 2 achieved her 200th Transatlantic Crossing in July 2013. Iconic luminaries, political figures and celebrities from the Golden Age of Ocean Travel to the present day have sailed with Cunard and aboard Queen Mary 2.

About Cunard
Defining true excellence at sea with 176 years of legendary voyages, Cunard is the operator of luxury ocean liners Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, which are all renowned for impeccable White Star Service, gourmet dining and world-class entertainment. Cunard has been synonymous with the quest for new discoveries since the company's first paddle-wheeled steamer, Britannia, crossed the Atlantic in 1840.Today, Cunard offers the only regularly scheduled transatlantic liner service and continues the legacy of world cruising which it began in 1922.

World's Leading Cruise Lines
Cunard is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Seabourn and fathom. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Visit us at www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.

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For additional information about Cunard, contact:
Jackie Chase, Cunard Line, 661-753-1035, [email protected]
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SOURCE Cunard Line