 In honor of the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Trust is proud to honor two individuals who have profoundly impacted our field. In 1977, when the acts provisions were first being implemented, Dr. W. Knox Mellon became the first state historic preservation officer of California. The Chippewa offices we know today have been shaped in large part by his visionary leadership and pioneering work, which turned the act into a vital tool for preserving our heritage. Mellon served as the state's Chippewa from 1977 to 1984, and again from 2000 to 2004. In the interim, he founded a preservation consulting firm to work on critical projects like Los Angeles City Hall, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and the Los Angeles Coliseum. Mellon went on to become the Executive Director of the California Missions Foundation, helping preserve California's 21 Spanish-era mission churches. In his retirement, Mellon has continued to champion preservation causes, most recently working with stakeholders at Cooper-Mallera Adobe toward a viable and vibrant future for the site. Throughout his career, Mellon taught at Immaculate Heart College and the University of California, Riverside. He has been described as an unparalleled educator, and his thoughtful mentorship has ensured that his legacy will continue through the work of hundreds of preservationists around the country. He has set the standard for preservation professionals by looking for positive solutions, building consensus, and thinking creatively about how we preserve and continue to use historic places. Like Dr. Mellon, Paula Wallace has devoted much of her professional life to preparing a generation of preservationists. Wallace established the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1978, when she was only 29 years old. SCAD is now the largest and most comprehensive art and design university in the United States. Historic preservation was one of the original programs at SCAD. The program has taught its more than 800 graduates to distinguish themselves through research and to make it real by creating collaborative models with organizations like the National Trust, the Association of Preservation Technology, and local nonprofits. SCAD has put preservation in practice by rehabilitating 100 buildings since its founding. The school has also played a significant role in revitalizing Savannah through adaptive reuse of neglected and abandoned properties. Wallace's continued dedication to advancing a legacy of historic preservation at SCAD has been recognized by organizations including the American Institute of Architects and UNESCO. Wallace is a leader of the preservation movement in both concept and execution. Her commitment to SCAD has also been a commitment to Savannah's historic resources and rather than treating historic places as frozen in time, she champions their reuse as vital components of modern communities. Paula Wallace and Knox Mellon have played an immense role in shaping the preservation movement and we are grateful for their visionary leadership.