FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 14, 2013

The California Museum Announces Visit California as the 7th Annual California Hall of Fame Presenting Sponsor

Museum Board of Trustee Dina Eastwood to host red carpet & induction ceremony broadcast on California PBS stations this summer

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – Mar. 14, 2013: The California Museum, home of the California Hall of Fame, announced Visit California as the presenting sponsor of the 7th Annual California Hall of Fame on Wed., Mar. 20, 2013. The California Hall of Fame highlights a broad range of California interests by honoring residents who have broken barriers in not just one field or talent, but have impacted the world with the their achievements and made their own mark on history.

Dina Eastwood, Past Chair of the Museum’s Board of Trustees and star of E! Network’s “Mrs. Eastwood and Company,” will also host a taped broadcast of the 7th Annual California Hall of Fame red carpet and induction ceremony on California stations later this year. A former news anchor and journalist on broadcast stations in Flagstaff, Arizona and Salinas, California, Dina will conduct interviews on the red carpet with this year’s California Hall of Fame attendees.

“Sponsoring the 7th Annual California Hall of Fame is a natural extension of our marketing efforts to boost tourism to the Golden State,” said Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California. “Promoting trailblazing Californians who embody the state’s innovative spirit and iconic lifestyle is a key feature of our unique global travel brand. We are proud to celebrate this year’s inductees who bring the California brand to life and inspire people all over the world.”

The new class of inductees who will receive a “Spirit of California” medal presented by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. and First Lady Anne Brown in the induction ceremony includes:

• Social scientist Gregory Bateson;
• Film legend Warren Beatty;
• Visionary designers Charles and Ray Eames;
• Labor activist Dolores Huerta;
• Celebrated Native Californian Ishi;
• Football hero Joe Montana;
• Motion picture innovators Warner Brothers

“As a lifelong resident of California, I am thrilled to host the 7th Annual California Hall of Fame television broadcast,” said Dina Eastwood. “This group of amazing Californians represents the state’s culture of creativity and legacy of influence that is the quintessential California dream.”

“The Museum is thrilled to welcome back Visit California as the California Hall of Fame’s presenting sponsor,” said Dori Dennis Moorehead, Executive Director of The California Museum. “We look forward to celebrating another class of California’s amazing residents with them again this year, as well as to airing a statewide television broadcast hosted by Dina Eastwood later this summer. With Dina as host, the show is sure to be both entertaining and informative.”

All living inductees and family of posthumous inductees are scheduled to participate in the presentation of the California Hall of Fame awards by the Governor and First Lady on Wed., Mar. 20, 2013 at The California Museum, located at 1020 O Street in Sacramento.  Members of the public are invited to view the arrivals of the inductees and ceremony attendees on Wed., Mar. 20 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in a public viewing area on O Street between 10th and 11th Streets, located across the street from the Museum. Members of the media are invited to cover the red carpet arrivals of attendees in front of the Museum from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The 7th Annual California Hall of Fame is presented by Visit California.

For more information and to access the press kit including images and biographies of each inductee, please visit: http://www.CaliforniaMuseum.org/press-center.

ABOUT VISIT CALIFORNIA:

Visit California (formerly known as the California Travel & Tourism Commission) is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. According to Visit California, travel and tourism expenditures total $102.3 billion annually in California (20 percent of which is international), support jobs for 893,000 Californians and generate $6.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor’s Guide, go to VisitCalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com.

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA MUSEUM:

A self-supporting 501(c)3 non-profit, The California Museum — home of the California Hall of Fame — engages, educates and enlightens people about California’s rich history and unique contributions to the world through ideas, innovation, the arts and culture. Through interactive and innovative experiences, the Museum inspires men, women and children to dream the California dream and dares them to make their own mark on history. Open Tues.-Sat. 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sun.: 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.; closed Mondays except on federal holidays. Admission: adults $8.50; college students & seniors $7.00 with valid ID; youth 6-17: $6.00; children 5 & under free. For more information, visit CaliforniaMuseum.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jennifer Sweeny , Public Relations Manager
Visit California
jsweeney@visitcalifornia.com 
(916) 233-0255

Brenna Hamilton, Communications & Marketing Director
The California Museum
bhamilton@californiamuseum.org
(916) 651-0934

###

For a media kit including inductee biographies, press images and more, please register for a media account at: http://www.CaliforniaMuseum.org/form/press-kit-permission-request