Secret Weapon Award
Talent Market’s Secret Weapon Award celebrates a free-market nonprofit staff member who adds tremendous value to his/her organization and the liberty movement from behind the scenes. The Secret Weapon could be an accounting ace, IT whiz, operations guru, or other talent who makes significant contributions but doesn’t get the spotlight.
We encourage free-market nonprofit staff members to nominate a teammate, direct report, or supervisor who exemplifies Reagan’s quote: “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
Nominations for the 2024 awards open in the spring and the winner is invited to receive the award at America’s Future’s Annual Gala and Awards Showcase in May in Washington, DC.
2023 Secret Weapon Award Winner
Ryan Lynch
Our inaugural Secret Weapon award winner is Ryan Lynch, the Senior Director of IT with Competitive Enterprise Institute.
Ryan has been with CEI for nearly 15 years. When the rest of the CEI staff is sleeping, Ryan is updating its network and servers. When everyone else is going home for the day, Ryan is applying updates to programs & tools that CEI can’t function without.
He is a one-man IT band fielding calls all day for help and he gladly does it with a smile and often a sarcastic joke. According to his supervisor, “CEI would be unable to function without Ryan’s behind the scenes work.”
When Ryan isn’t working, he’s spending time with his brilliant wife, Michelle Minton, and the world’s cutest dog, Coconut.
Program of the Year
Talent Market’s Program of the Year Award celebrates a program that develops free-market talent. The program will have a solid curriculum, evidence of short and long-term impact, and impressive alumni who are making a difference in the liberty movement.
Nominees can include any sort of free-market talent development program (internships, fellowships, clerkships, professional development programs, etc.) at any level (junior, mid, or senior). Free-market organizations and proud alumni are encouraged to nominate their own programs!
Nominations for the 2024 awards open in the spring and the winner is invited to receive the award at America’s Future’s Annual Gala and Awards Showcase in May in Washington, DC.
2023 Program of the Year Award Winner
Moving Picture Institute’s Hollywood Career Launch Program
The Hollywood Career Launch Program helps talented young filmmakers get a foot in the door in the entertainment industry. Since 2006, MPI has awarded over 200 paid internships to college students and recent graduates.
Interns are placed on the sets of MPI Original productions or at partner production companies and are provided with a stipend, mentorship, and training. MPI only recruits interns who are defenders of freedom with a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in film. The program provides a huge return for those who wish to see Hollywood seeded with talent committed to freedom.
More than half of the program’s alumni are now working full-time in the film industry. The program is run by Hannah Earl, Director of Talent and Creative Development for Moving Picture Institute.