Florida TaxWatch

Florida TaxWatch and its longtime president and chief executive officer (1980–2026), Dominic Calabro, have been selected to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the 112-year-old national Governmental Research Association (GRA), known as the Frederick P. Greenberg Award.

This is the highest honor the GRA presents from time to time and will be presented Tuesday night, July 21, 2026, at the GRA National Conference in Chicago, Illinois. This is the first time someone from Florida has been selected.

The 112-year-old GRA is a truly nonpartisan and nonprofit group of public policy professionals dedicated to high-quality, independent research that positively impacts the people of their states and communities.

Calabro says:

“The GRA is as close to center/center politically as I have ever seen throughout my 46 years+ career. GRA researchers work to make government better, more effective, efficient, accountable and reduce unnecessary costs of government.”

The GRA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is selected by the GRA Officers and Trustees based on these five standards:

1. Overall contribution to the field of governmental research.
2. Length of full-time professional service in governmental research.
3. Excellence in the field of governmental research demonstrated by:
   • A) Tangible impact on government fiscal, public policy, management, operations, and governance as a result of published reports and proactive actions.
   • B) Effectiveness in communicating fiscal and public policy problems in a manner that broadens awareness or understanding by government officials and the general public.
   • C) Innovations in the field of governmental research and creative use of existing or new research methods.
   • D) Recognition by peers through receipt of GRA and other leadership awards.
   • E) Political astuteness in dealing with complex research and personal relationships.
   • F) Personal and professional character of leadership in their organization, the GRA, and the state and community they serve.
4. Support of the GRA through service in leadership positions, GRA committees and panels, leading the annual conference.
5. Mentoring of policy professionals in their organizations, the GRA, and the states and communities they serve.

The GRA Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented by Shawn Tiegen, President and CEO of the Utah Foundation, who served as GRA Chairman last year and is Chair of the Selection Committee.

Shawn Tiegen can be reached at (801) 755-2636 or Shawn@UtahFoundation.org.

Date Posted: July 21, 2026