--- title: "Individual Honors Awards Recipients" id: "4236" type: "page" slug: "individual-honors-awards-recipients" published_at: "2026-05-31T23:17:05+00:00" modified_at: "2026-10-30T13:06:18+00:00" url: "https://www.asaecenter.org/community/awards-recognition/individual-honors-awards-recipients/" markdown_url: "https://www.asaecenter.org/community/awards-recognition/individual-honors-awards-recipients.md" excerpt: "Every year at the Annual Meeting, ASAE confers three individual honors on distinguished leaders in the community" --- [Home](https://www.asaecenter.org/) » [Community](https://www.asaecenter.org/community/) » [Awards & Recognition](https://www.asaecenter.org/community/awards-recognition/) » Individual Honors Awards Recipients# Individual Honors Awards Recipients Every year at the Annual Meeting, ASAE confers three individual honors on distinguished leaders in the community: - The Key Award honors association CEOs. - The Professional Performance Award honors top-level association executives who are not CEOs. - The Academy of Leaders Award honors industry partners. All three honors were first awarded in 1981. The Key Award dates back to 1960. ## 2026 **Key Award**Steven C. Anderson, FASAE, CAE, IOM **Professional Performance Award**Danielle Duran Baron, MA, MBA, FASAE, CAE, AAiP **Academy of Leaders Award**Mariama Boney, CAE, LMSW, CPEC, SHRM-SCP ## 2025 **Key Award**Wendy-Jo Toyama, MBA, FASAE, CAE **Professional Performance Award**David “DJ” Johnson, IOM, FASAE, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award**KiKi L’Italien ## 2024 **Key Award** Gabriel Eckert, FASAE, CAE **Professional Performance Award**Stefanie Reeves, FASAE, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Dr. Lowell M. Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF ## 2023 **Key Award** Mark N. Dorsey, FASAE, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Rick Burt, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Jefferson C. Glassie, FASAE ## 2022 **Key Award** Susan K. Neely **Professional Performance Award** Juan Amador, FASAE, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Mickie S. Rops. FASAE, CAE **2021 Key Award**Michelle Mills Clement, FASAE, CAE, RCE **Professional Performance Award**Vicki Deal-Williams, MA, FASAE, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award**Donald Dea, FASAE **2020****Key Award**John H. Graham IV, FASAE, CAE (posthumously) **Professional Performance Award**Rhea M. Steele, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award**James J. Zaniello, FASAE **2019 Key Award**Peter J. O’Neil, FASAE, CAE**Professional Performance Award**Barbara Benton, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award**Jeff De Cagna, FRSA FASAE **2018** **Key Award** Arlene Pietranton, Ph.D., FASAE, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Janet McEwen, MA, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Cynthia Mills, CMC, CPC, CCRC, FASAE, CAE **2017** **Key Award** Richard Yep **Professional Performance Award** Elena Gerstmann, Ph.D., FASAE, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Sheri Jacobs, FASAE, CAE **2016** **Key Award** Bryan Silbermann, CEO, FASAE, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Dr. Tracy Petrillo, Ed.D., CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Robert Olcott, CIMA, AIF, FASAE, CAE **2015** **Key Award** Paul Pomerantz, FASAE, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Tom Quash, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Loretta DeLuca, FASAE **2014** **Key Award** Pamela Hemann, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Velma Hart, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Ginger Nichols, CAE **2013** **Key Award** Susan B. Waters, CAE **Professional Performance Award** David Akridge, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Larry Alexander **2012** **Key Award** Thomas Dolan, CAE **Professional Performance Award** James A. Heib **Academy of Leaders Award** Christine Smith **2011** **Key Award** Mark J. Golden, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Matthew Gertzog, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Jodie Slaughter **2010** **Key Award** David N. Parker, CAE **Professional Performance Award** R. Norris Orms, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** David G. Gabri **2009** **Key Award** Thomas R. Kuhn, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Patricia M. Areno, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Lawrence A. Luteran **2008** **Key Award** David Fellers, CAE **Professional Performance Award** David J. Noonan **Academy of Leaders Award** Christie Hicks **2007** **Key Award** Gary A. LaBranche, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Charles W.L. Deale, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Brian D. Stevens **2006** **Key Award** Red Cavaney, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Richard B. Green **2005** **Key Award** Robert J. Dolibois, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Anetha W. Grant **2004** **Key Award** Colin C. Rorrie Jr., CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** George Aguel **2003** **Key Award** Thomas H. Henderson Jr. **Academy of Leaders Award** Anne D. Heller **2002** **Key Award** Curtis C. Deane, CFRE, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Hugh K. Lee **2001** **Key Award** Susan Bitter Smith, CAE **2000 Key Award** Kenneth D. Reid, CAE **1999 Key Award** Anne DeCicco, CAE **1998 Key Award** Bradford W. Claxton, CAE John A. Marks Don L. Riggin, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Glenn H. Tecker **1997** No winners **1996 Key Award** William Kundrat, Jr., CAE Barbara Byrd, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Michael J. Dimond **1995 Key Award** Hector Jimenez-Juarbe, CAE Qunicalee Brown, CAE Peter F. McCloskey, CAE **1994 Key Award** J.C. Mahaffey, CAE Curtis E. Plott, CAE Dennis E. Jungmeyer, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Roger Dow **1993 Key Award** Howard H. Bell, CAE Kathryn E. Johnson, CAE George Kirkland, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Charlotte St. Martin **1992 Key Award** Anne L. Bryant, CAE **1991 Key Award** Walter R. Kurth, CAE Ray Roper, CAE Thomas A. Shannon, CAE Lee VanBremen, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** James Evans **1990 Key Award** Edward H. Able Jr., CAE Vince Robison, CAE Mary Jane Kolar, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Jerald A. Jacobs **1989 Key Award** Michael S. Olson, CAE Charles D. Rumbarger, CAE Almon R. (Bud) Smith, CAE **1988 Key Award** William T. Harper, CAE Ellis E. (Bud) Meredith, CAE Thomas R. Schedler, CAE **1987 Key Award** George K. Eliades, CAE Frederick T. Spahr, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Preston Tisch **1986 Key Award** John N. Bailey, CAE E.E. Ferrey, CAE Judy T. Neel, CAE **Academy of Leaders** John F. Metcalfe **1985 Key Award** Donald C. Burns, CAE William L. Cullison, CAE Rogers B. Finch, CAE P.D. (Bud) Hermann, CAE C. Lincoln Williston, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Thomas Boggs, Jr. **1984 Key Award** Garis F. Distelhorst, CAE E. Ron Evanson William D. Nelligan, CAE T.J. Schmitz, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Richard J. Bettis, CAE Brian E. Foss Judy A. Goshy Kathleen M. Griffin, CAE Jim Shillingburg, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Al LeFaure **1983 Key Award** Wilford A. Butler, CAE John H. Crawford Jr., CAE David W. Field, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Judy G. Fielden George R. Rounds, CAE Robert G. Stein **Academy of Leaders Award** George Webster **1982 Key Award** Joseph Gilbert, CAE Kinsey B. Green, CAE William A. Kelly, CAE James H. Merritt, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Robert L. English, CAE Gary C. Herrman Gerald W. Matthews, CAE **1981 Key Award** O. Gordon Banks, CAE Henry B. King Neil Milner, CAE Philip E. Nethercut, CAE **Professional Performance Award** Randy Robert Bauler Julie E. Gibouleau Elaine Halford George C. Hescock William J. Hilty David C. Klick, CAE David P. Lefever Hugh McCahey Jim F. Wolbrink, CAE **Academy of Leaders Award** Joe G. Kordsmeier Bruce J. Stahley Dave R. Evans