The Man Behind the Plan

Gus Amsterdam was a Philadelphia business leader, community advocate, and founding board member of the Comcast Corporation. He dedicated much of his time and energy to the community, and to improving education. A graduate of Central High School and the University of Pennsylvania, Gus was committed to civic and educational activities in Philadelphia throughout his life. He served as Chairman of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, and on the boards of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Center, Philadelphia Urban League, Federation of Jewish Agencies, University of Pennsylvania Museum, and the Franklin Institute, among others.

The Award: Honoring a Great Man By Honoring Others

We wanted to honor Gus and the contributions he made to our corporate headquarters’ hometown. So Comcast established the Gustave G. Amsterdam Leadership Award in 2001, with a mission of providing financial support to two Philadelphia public high school graduates planning to attend a Philadelphia college or university. The honorees are chosen for demonstrating outstanding leadership among their peers through a commitment to community service, and high academic achievement. Check out our latest award winners.

How the Award Process Works

The recipients of the Gustave G. Amsterdam Leadership Award are chosen from among the Philadelphia-area finalists in the Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Program, which is funded through The Comcast Foundation. Each Gustave Amsterdam Award recipient is awarded a one-time $5,000 scholarship grant to be used toward their pursuit of higher education at a Philadelphia-area institute. This Leadership Award is presented annually at the annual Mayor's Address to the Business Community luncheon, and presented by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.