BELLEVUE, Wash. — Oct. 9, 2024 — The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) has created a new accolade – The Golden Bowtie Award – and honored its first recipient at this year’s Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC). Recipients of the Golden Bowtie are people and/or organizations who have made significant contributions of time, talent and treasure to SAF and its mission.
“SAF founder Alan Gottlieb is a lover of the bowtie,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “If you look back at any photos of Alan throughout the years, he is always wearing his signature neck piece. We wanted to create an award that embodied Alan’s spirit and character while recognizing other’s contributions to SAF’s success. The Golden Bowtie does just that.”
Tom Taylor, Executive Vice President, Global Brand Development at SIG SAUER and member of SAF’s Board of Trustees, was presented the award at the annual GRPC in San Diego.
“I am thrilled to be the inaugural recipient of this prestigious award,” Taylor said. “SAF is truly working on the front lines fighting for our Second Amendment rights, and it’s a privilege to be honored as the first Golden Bowtie award winner. I will proudly wear the bowtie as a reminder that our civil liberties are always under attack and as a symbol of how SAF fights every day to ensure our Second Amendment rights are defended, secured and restored.”
Under his leadership, SIG SAUER jumped on board as SAF’s first major corporate partner. In addition to significant financial contributions, Taylor’s team has contributed to SAF in a number of other ways including helping with the organization’s 2023 rebrand and providing advice on various means to enhance the SAF brand.
“I am thrilled the SAF team recognized the great contributions of Tom and SIG SAUER,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “The award was as surprising to me as it was to Tom, and I’m honored that such an award was created with me in mind. For the past 50 years the fight has not been about me, but about the movement, and I am thrilled we can now recognize people like Tom who go above and beyond to support SAF and its mission.”