2018
Dorothy Kalins, founding editor, Metropolitan Home, Saveur and Garden Design
2016
Gayle Goodson Butler, editorial director, Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications and Creative Collection
2014
Graydon Carter, editor, Vanity Fair
2012
Terry McDonell, editor, Time Inc. Sports Group
2010
Michael Kinsley, senior editor, The Atlantic; founding editor, Slate
Anna Wintour, editor in chief, Vogue
2009
Martha Stewart, founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
2008
Tina Brown, former editor, The New Yorker and Vanity Fair
2007
Lewis H. Lapham, former editor, Harper's Magazine
2006
William F. Buckley Jr., founder and editor at large, National Review
2005
Norman Pearlstine, editor in chief, Time Inc.
2004
Ellen Levine, editor in chief, Good Housekeeping
2003
Arthur Cooper, editor in chief, GQ
2002
Susan L. Taylor, senior vice president and editorial director, Essence
2001
Charles Peters, founder and editor in chief, The Washington Monthly
2000
John Mack Carter, former editor in chief of Good Housekeeping and
director of magazine development for The Hearst Corporation
1999
Dennis Flanagan, former editor, Scientific American
Stephen B. Shepard, editor in chief, Business Week
1998
Byron Dobell, former editor, American Heritage
Hugh M. Hefner, founder and editor-in-chief, Playboy
Gloria Steinem, founding editor, Ms. Magazine
1997
Sey Chassler, former editor in chief, Redbook
Henry Anatole Grunwald, former managing editor, Time
Jann S. Wenner, editor and publisher, Rolling Stone
1996
Helen Gurley Brown, editor in chief, Cosmopolitan
Osborn Elliott, former editor in chief, Newsweek
Clay Felker, founding editor, New York
Dick Stolley, founding editor, People
Ruth Whitney, editor in chief, Glamour