In 2021 Tiffany & Co. initiated a partnership with Best Buddies in Virginia & DC to launch an annual award for the Washington metropolitan area: The Diane Ray Brown Lifetime of Friendship Award to be presented at the Best Buddies in Virginia & DC Fall Gala.

During her lifetime, Diane was a significant supporter and volunteer for Best Buddies in the Capital Region, and Best Buddies is thrilled to have Tiffany & Co. remember and honor Diane’s incredible and generous life, and her enthusiastic passion for Best Buddies mission, with this award.

Best Buddies in Virginia & DC considers The Diane Ray Brown Lifetime of Friendship Award to be the highest honor and sign of gratitude that our organization can bestow on a member of our local community. Honorees are recognized for their philanthropic spirit, generosity, and boundless dedication to Best Buddies mission of friendship and inclusion for everyone.

We are proud to announce that The Diane Ray Brown Lifetime of Friendship Awardee for 2022 is John P. Drew. John hails from Massachusetts where he currently resides with his wife and four children. He serves as President of Drew Company a visionary Real Estate Development company in Boston and serves as president and CEO of Trade Center Management Associates (TCMA), which has exclusively managed the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (RRB/ITC) in Washington D.C. for over 20 years.

John was an early supporter of the Best Buddies PROM, sponsoring the first dance in 2017 which welcomed 500 Best Buddies students to the RRB/ITC to dance the night away, celebrating fun and friendship. His support of the event over the years was pivotal in its growth into the premier social event in our area for Best Buddies and students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. His commitment of corporate philanthropy and willingness to encourage his entire staff to embrace Best Buddies programs of friendship, leadership, supported employment and independent living has influenced countless supporters and brought so many to the Best Buddies community. It is especially fitting that John is this year’s honoree, as after a three-year hiatus, due to the pandemic, the Best Buddies student Homecoming, a new, more impactful version of PROM, will happily return to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on December 2, 2022. Please join us in congratulating John and celebrating the spirit of friendship!