Paul P. Harris (April 19, 1868 - January 27, 1947) was a Chicago attorney best known for founding Rotary International in 1905, which now boasts over one million members worldwide. Harris was born in Racine, Wisconsin but grew up in Vermont. He later moved to Chicago, Illinois to begin his law practice.  Harris attended both Princeton University and the University of Iowa.

The Paul Harris Award is the highest honor the Canton Rotary Club can bestow on a club member or a community member, for contributions to the club, the Canton community, or the North Country as “service above self.”  For each award presented, the club contributes $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation in support of its international service projects.

Phil Bisselle, outgoing Canton Rotary Club president, l., and Francine Perretta, incoming president, present Severn Brown with Paul Harris award, 1998.

1976     Lorence Pries

1977     Atwood Manley

1979     Edward Blankman                                 

1980     Loryne Connick

1981     Everett Howard

1983     Robert Sparr           

1985     Daniel O’Connor                                   

             John Cheney                                          

1986     Floyd Morter

1987     Roger Harris

1988     Dr. Stuart Winning                                              

1989     Frank Piskor                                          ]

1990     Thomas Lee                                          

             Hugh Grady

1991     Neal Caneen

1992     C. Edwin Brackett

             Ross Hudson

             Richard Lobdell

1993     James Monroe

1994     Rev. Jack Wells [Community]

             Robert Wells [Community]

1995     Peter Van de Water [Community]

             Clark Carvel [Community]

1996     Rita Ostrander

             Mary Verlaque

1997     Philip Bisselle   

             Howard Smith

             James Wallace [Community]

1998     Severn Brown

             Cathleen O’Horo

1999     Farid Haq

             Robert Raymo [Community]

2000     Francine Perretta

2001     Daniel Sullivan [Community]

             Bernard McKinnon

2002     Ted Linn

2003     Fred Peets

2004     Richard Miller

             Michael Crowe

2005     Ellen Rocco [Community]

2006     David Nelson

2007     Kathryn L. Mullaney

2008     Joe Marsh

2009     Gerry Lambert

             Kathy Rogers

2010     Janet Favro

             Dr. Joseph Kenney

             Thomas Kulick