Rick Kogan: Fuller Award for lifetime achievement

Rick Kogan started working as a reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times at the age of 16 and for the past half century has continued to turn out bylines in our city’s most important daily papers. Among his dozen nonfiction books, Rick’s true crime story, Everybody Pays: Two Men, One Murder and the Price of Truth, co-authored with Maurice Possley, stands out as a classic. He has served as an on-line reporter, commentator and host for a variety of television and radio outlets, including his current Sunday WGN-720 AM show, After Hours. Rick is a constant presence in Chicago’s cultural community, serving as impresario and interviewer for major events at the Printers Row Lit Festival, Chicago Humanities Festival, the old Story Week Festival, and many others. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, starting at seven p.m., Kogan was the 13th author honored with the Chicago’s prestigious Fuller Award for lifetime achievement. Newcity President & Founder Brian Hieggelke emceed a ceremony that included a performance by singer and writer Jamie O’Reilly, tributes by Nestor Gomez and Tony Fitzpatrick, and a conversation between Chicago Tribune editor Chris Jones and Rick. Photographer Charles Osgood presented the statue. Food and a cash bar followed the ceremony, with guests encouraged to enjoy the Chopin Theatre’s beautiful and spacious reception area. The event was free and open to the public.

In addition to Chopin Theatre, partners for the evening included Kurtis Productions, American Writers Museum, Newberry Library, WGN Radio, Eckhartz Press, Lamb’s Farm, Chicago Writers Association, Cliff Dwellers, All Things Literary, the Book Cellar, Open Books, Centuries & Sleuths, Seminary Co-op Bookstores, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Bar Association, Chicago Quarterly Review, and Guild Literary Complex. A trio of Rick’s favorite Chicago dining spots have generously offered to provide food: the Billy Goat Tavern. Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse, and Eli’s Cheesecake. Individual contributors include Paul Teodo and Tom Myers, Randy Albers, and Eve Moran.