Promotion of the Profession Committee Award winners
Leon Headley, 50-year member
Constituent Society Members of the Year

Chicago was the site of the 86th Annual ASCLS Awards Ceremony, made possible by volunteer support of the Awards Committee, awards judges, ASCLS staff, and Ed Neren from NerenPossible Services. Paula Garrott, 2002-03 ASCLS President, presided as mistress of ceremonies, and Deb Rodahl, 2017-18 ASCLS President, and Roslyn McQueen, President-Elect, presented the following member recognition awards.

Constituent Society Membership Awards are given each year to stimulate the recruitment efforts of each constituent society and are based on membership numbers as of May 31.

Greatest Percent Increase in Membership:

1st place: ASCLS-Arkansas

2nd place: ASCLS-Pennsylvania

Greatest Percent Increase in Non-Student Membership:

1st place: ASCLS-Georgia

2nd place: North Carolina Society for Clinical Laboratory Science 

Greatest Percent Retention:

1st place: ASCLS-Hawaii

2nd place: ASCLS-Minnesota

3rd place: ASCLS-Wyoming

Constituent Society Publication Awards are presented to encourage communication through publications and to promote excellence in such publications. There were no true web e-newsletters submitted this year.

Paper or PDF-Based Newsletter:

1st place: The Pennsylvania Newsletter, ASCLS-Pennsylvania, Joshua Cannon, Editor

2nd place: Newslinks, ASCLS-Michigan, Paul Guthrie, Editor

3rd place: Focus, ASCLS-Idaho, Jessica Lewis, Editor

Constituent Society Website Awards recognize excellence in a constituent society’s or other ASCLS-affiliated website.

1st place: ASCLS-Idaho, Diane Stumpf, Webmaster

2nd place: ASCLS-New Jersey, Cynthia Dixey and David Dixey, Webmasters

3rd place: ASCLS-Minnesota, Jenna Amundson, Webmaster

Political Action Committee (PAC) Awards recognize those states that generously support the ASCLS PAC. Winners are calculated by the amount of donations per member in the respective society.

1st place: ASCLS-California

2nd place: Kansas Society for Clinical Laboratory Science

3rd place: ASCLS-Georgia

Promotion of the Profession Committee Award provides recognition to those states that have excelled in fundraising events. Winners are calculated by the amount of funds raised per member in the respective society.

1st place: ASCLS-Colorado, for Project C.U.R.E.

2nd place: ASCLS-North Dakota, for the Ronald McDonald House Charity

3rd place: ASCLS-Montana, for the Children’s Miracle Network, Shodair Hospital

The 11th Leadership Academy graduates completed their year of leadership training in Chicago and were recognized for their accomplishment: Leah Ames, ASCLS-Indiana; Michael Iodice, ASCLS-CNE; and Heather McLaughlin, ASCLS AZ/NV.

Voices Under 40 honors ASCLS members under 40 years old who have shown exceptional commitment to ASCLS, the laboratory profession, and their community at large: Kate Bernhardt, Illinois; Mechelle Reeve, Idaho; Stephanie Rink, Michigan; Cherika Robertson, Arkansas; Pankaj Sethi, Georgia; Brooke Solberg, North Dakota; and Abbey Wichman, Montana.

Keys to the Future recognizes and rewards ASCLS members who have demonstrated their leadership potential to the organization. Forty-five members received Keys to the Future Pins this year.

Omicron Sigma provides recognition of the members who have volunteered their personal resources, time, and energy to ASCLS on the national, regional, and state levels. This year ASCLS recognized 471 nominees.

Membership Milestones recognizes ASCLS members who celebrated 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 years of membership. The continued choice to be a member is a sign of commitment to the profession and a desire to make a difference. Eighteen loyal members of ASCLS were recognized for 50 years of membership and for being role models in perseverance and professionalism; Leon Headley, Washington, D.C., was present to pick up his award. Other 50-year members are: Grace Brown, Massachusetts; Dorothy Edwards, Louisiana; Dorothy Fike, West Virginia; Barbara Floyd, Louisiana; Lois Foreman, Colorado; Sue Janke, Wisconsin; Elise Kugler, Pennsylvania; Linda Milson, Wisconsin; Ruth Murray, Florida; Virginia Narlock, Wisconsin; Janet O’Donnell, Florida; Natalie Ortoli-Drew, Connecticut; Shirley Richmond, Texas; Leticia San Diego, Michigan; Frances Singleton, Missouri; Sandra Sommer, Virginia; and Patricia Wood, Washingon.

This year, the Constituent Society Member of the Year recognized 29 members honored by their own Constituent Society for their leadership on the local and state level in 2018. Congratulations to George Fritsma, Alabama; Erin Frasher, Alaska; Claude Rector, Arkansas; April Shields, Colorado; Tripat Kaur, Florida; Scott Wise, Georgia; Susan Morris, Idaho; Amy Liu, Illinois; Bridget Greiner, Iowa; Becky Hetrick, Kansas; Phil Campbell, Kentucky; Dana Grant, Louisiana; Stephanie Rink, Michigan; Jenna Amundson, Minnesota; Lee Byrd, Mississippi; Ashlee Ketchum, Montana; Patty Jackman, New Jersey; Matthew Schoell, New York; Lisa Cremeans, North Carolina; Sharon Reistad, North Dakota; Melanie Giusti, Ohio; Alison Rossdeutscher, Oklahoma; Jean Buchenhorst, Pennsylvania; Lori Murray, South Dakota; Hema D’Souza, Tennessee; Rodney Rohde, Texas; Brenda Kochis, Washington; Kelly Robinson, Wisconsin; and Franki-Marie Herdt, Wyoming.

These societies and member volunteers mentioned above make it possible for ASCLS to achieve and retain its premiere standing in the health care community. Congratulations to all the winners.

Awards are a great way to recognize our members for their efforts. 2019 awards deadlines start February 15. Visit Awards and Scholarships for full details and to nominate worthy candidates.