Municipal Art Society awards 2026 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medals
The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) announced the winners of its Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal, an award that honors three individuals who have each made “an extraordinary contribution to the quality of life in New York City.” The 2026 medal was bestowed upon Betsy Smith, president and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy; Rick Cotton, former executive director of the Port Authority; and Richard Olcott, principal at Ennead, a CannonDesign Company.
The three individuals have each impacted different aspects of New York City’s urban fabric: Smith through city parks, Cotton with infrastructure and development projects, and Olcott with architecture and buildings.
“This year’s honorees reflect the breadth of civic leadership that sustains New York City,” said MAS president Keri Butler. “Betsy Smith, Rick Cotton, and Richard Olcott have each significantly shaped and revitalized urban life—from the stalwart stewardship of Central Park—an essential civic resource, to the modernization of critical transportation infrastructure, to the sensitive design of sustainable architecture that defines our institutional and cultural identity.”
Smith has led the Central Park Conservancy since 2018. In her time directing the nonprofit she has steered a stewardship plan that has seen the completion of over 29 capital projects in the 843-acre park, among these the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer. Prior to this role, Smith was the NYC Parks Assistant Commissioner under Bloomberg and a Board Member of Friends of the High Line, among other positions.
Cotton served as the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 2017 to early 2026. Under his leadership, the joint venture has started work, and completed, work on all three major airports in the New York City region: LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, and Newark Liberty. He stepped down from the role in January 2026 to retire, but work on projects he helped oversee continues with the 16-acre World Trade Center campus, currently under construction.
Olcott was one of Ennead’s first employees. He has worked at the firm for 40 years on building projects in New York City and globally. Among the projects Olcott has contributed to in New York City are renovations at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Beyond practicing architecture, Olcott has contributed to several organizations and served in a civic capacity for a number of organizations. From 1996 to 2007 he was a commissioner on the Landmarks Preservation Commission and he is Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Municipal Art Society and a chair on its Preservation Committee, among other professional accolades. CannonDesign acquired Ennead Architects earlier this year, as reported by AN.
The recognition of Smith, Cotton, and Olcott follows that of architects Annabelle Selldorf and Elizabeth Diller, who received the 2025 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal.
The 55th annual Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal Celebration will take place on September 28, at The Grill in the Seagram Building. The medals will be presented by Selldorf alongside architecture critic Paul Goldberger, another Onassis Medal recipient.
