“For we know that when a nation goes down and never comes back, when a society or a civilization perishes, one condition can always be found. They forgot whence they came. They lost sight of what brought them along.”
– Carl Sandberg
Judy Liff Barker
Judy Liff Barker is a distinguished arts patron, historian, and philanthropist whose lifelong commitment to culture and community has shaped Nashville’s civic and artistic landscape. Born in Northeastern Ohio, she holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in history from Northeastern University in Boston, and completed all but dissertation (ABD) at Washington University in St. Louis. She has been the recipient of many distinguished awards including Nashvillian of the Year in 2004, along with publisher John Siegenthaler, the YWCA Women of Achievement award in 2002, the coveted CPB Gold Award for her production of the nationally syndicated program “Riders Radio Theater”, and, along with her husband, Joseph Barker, the National Opera Trustee Recognition Award in 2012.
Joseph N. Barker
Joe was born in Sandwich, Illinois, and is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the Vanderbilt University School of Law. During the Vietnam war he served on active duty as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, then returning to Nashville to practice commercial real estate and banking law for many years with the firm of Dearborn & Ewing. Together with Steve Turner and his son, JayTurner, in 2000 they formed a company, MarketStreet Enterprises, which became the developer of Nashville’s Gulch Project, a “NewUrban”, In-Fill, Mixed Use real estate development which revitalized the central business core of Nashville.
Noah Liff
Noah Liff was a pioneering entrepreneur and arts philanthropist whose legacy shaped Nashville’s cultural and business landscapes. Noah was born in a small northwestern Ohio town and grew up in Indiana. He earned a B.S. from the Indiana University, and in the post WWII years, went on to join his father in, what was then, a small family recycling business. With foresight, he recognized and embraced the bountiful opportunities of this newly burgeoning industry. Ultimately, he became the founder of the Southeast’s largest recycling conglomerate, and in the process, becoming a major advocate for sustainability and recycling long before they became global causes. In 1978, he was elected to the national presidency of ISIS (Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel). During Noah’s incumbency, and under his tutelage a major sculpture by Mark di Suvero of scrap iron and steel was dedicated by ISIS as a permanent legacy at the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC.
He would often say that “where others see broken glass, crumpled rebar, twisted copper tubing, textile remnants and old computer parts as society’s castoffs, I see a symphony of resources.”
He shared his prosperity with the Nashville community that he loved with an open heart and open mind. He was philanthropic in every way, with financial resources, personal time, leadership, creativity, and professional advice.
Contact
Address
P.0. Box 23830
Nashville, TN 37202