This year’s Paul Mulvihill/NABS Humanitarian Award goes to the Television Bureau of Canada’s (TVB) Jim Patterson, but it’s an achievement he’s almost embarrassed to talk about. ‘The award is for private charitable contributions and not for applause,’ he explains.

Certainly, the fact that the current president and CEO of the TVB spends much of what little free time he has working on committees for the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, Aisling Discoveries Child and Family Centre, and NABS (the National Advertising Benevolent Society), comes as a surprise to his colleagues.

Says Leon Hildebrandt, EVP, Canadian Broadcast Sales: ‘I’ve sat on boards with him for years, and I didn’t know that part of his life. His focus has been on improving lives of disadvantaged children, and he obviously did it out of the goodness of his heart.’

Prior to his post at the TVB, Patterson spent a combined 32 years in media departments of ad agencies Young & Rubicam, Ogilvy & Mather and Grey Advertising. He says his charitable involvement has helped him keep things in perspective. ‘On my tombstone, I don’t want it to say that I wrote good media plans. This provides balance.’

Patterson was handed the award – consisting of a handcrafted glass sculpture and cheque for $5,000 donated to a charity of his choice – at the 20th Annual NABS Fundraising Gala in Toronto on May 6.