2020 Buck O'Neil Award winner David Montgomery

David Montgomery was the 2020 and fifth recipient of the John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award.

Montgomery became a Philadelphia icon while spending his entire career in baseball, spanning parts of five decades, devoted to the Phillies, working his way up from the sales office to become executive vice president and chief operating officer before acquiring an ownership stake in the team.

He later served as president, chief executive officer and then assumed the role of chairman in January of 2015.

In his role as president and CEO, Montgomery became the face of the Phillies front office.

Under his leadership, the team enjoyed one of the longest sustained periods of success in franchise history from 2007-11, winning five consecutive National League East titles, two NL pennants and the World Series in 2008.

He also spearheaded the construction of Citizens Bank Park, which opened in 2004.

Montgomery advanced many community service efforts for the Phillies, including helping raise more than $19 million for the ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia, the official charity of the team. Montgomery worked closely with Phillies Charities, Inc., the official charitable arm of the organization, to provide support for other nonprofit organizations in the Philadelphia area and in the communities of the Phillies’ minor league affiliates.

Active in a wide range of areas for Major League Baseball, Montgomery served on MLB’s Executive Council, MLB’s Business and Media Committee, MLB’s Labor Policy Committee and MLB’s Competition Committee.

Montgomery passed away on May 8, 2019.