Ashton Kutcher to Get Award From His Home State of Iowa

The Cedar Rapids native is about to receive an award named after a former Iowa governor, and I couldn't agree more.

Ashton Kutcher will be presented with the Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award for 2017. It's given by Drake University in Des Moines and, according to the Des Moines Register, is for "good character as a role model." Robert Ray was the governor of Iowa from 1969 to 1983.

The award will be presented to Kutcher April 8, 2017 in West Des Moines at The Ray Center’s All-Star Evening.

I think it's an honor well-earned by Ashton. I'd have given it to him for this speech alone:

I'd love him even more if he'd been able to convince his wife, Mila Kunis, to name their baby 'Hawkeye.' Mila gave birth to their son, whose name hasn't been announced, on Wednesday.

All kidding aside, Ashton is in good company as the winner of the Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award. Past winners include Casey Blake (Des Moines native and former major league 3rd baseman), Norman Borlaug (Cresco native who is credited with many advances in agriculture), Hayden Fry (Iowa football coach from 1979 to 1998), Dan Gable (Iowa wrestling coach from 1976 to 1997), Fred Hoiberg (former Iowa State basketball star and coach who now is head coach of the Chicago Bulls), and Shawn Johnson (Des Moines native and 2008 Olympic gold medalist in women's gymnastics).

Robert Ray, in a press release, stated,

Ashton is a leader in the next generation of Americans who are passionately working to bring positive change to the world. Ashton continues to be guided by his Iowa values and puts his character into action with efforts such as funding 132 Iowa school projects or helping Iowans after natural disasters."

 

Kudos Ashton Kutcher, you make the corridor and all of Iowa very proud. And we know you'll keep doing it.

[via Wikipedia, Des Moines Register, Wikipedia, National Governor's Association, DanGable.com, Wikipedia, and Wikipedia]