The 2009 Forum Award Recipients
and Workforce Diversity Scholars
The Forum Honors Gala honors the best
and brightest in the association profession with awards and scholarships.
“These individuals represent the very
best of association management,” says
Christie Tarantino, CAE, president and
CEO of the Association Forum of Chicagoland. “Their commitment to Chicago’s
association community — and to the
spirit of volunteerism that makes it tick
— is truly commendable.”
The June 25 Forum Honors Gala at
Navy Pier tops off Association Week
2009, a time for education, appreciation
and celebration of the more than 2,000
associations in the Chicagoland area.
The week’s events also include Forum’s
Annual Meeting on June 23 and All-Star
Day on June 24. For more information,
visit associationweek.org.
Congratulations to this year’s award
winners:
Association Professional
Achievement Award
Janet L. Jackson,
director, office of
the president of
Kim
the American Bar
Association
This award is presented to an associa-
tion professional member for exemplary
service and outstanding accomplishments in association management. It
reflects a high level of commitment to
professional growth and personal pride in
the association management community.
Mills
Muñoz Petrich
Ruparel
Abernathy
Harris
Samuel B. Shapiro Award
Karen L. Hackett,
FACHE, CAE, CEO of
the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons
(Read more about
Hackett on p. 39)
Supplier Partner
Service Award
Buz Buzogany, CAE,
principal of SAVVY-
Strategic Resource
Partners LLC
This award acknowledges a supplier
partner member for
outstanding contributions to the association community and to the Forum.
the 2009-10 Diversity Scholars are:
• Songi Kim, meeting planner, American
College of Healthcare Executives
• Michelle Mills, senior coordinator,
marketing and communications services, SmithBucklin Corp.
• Aracely Muñoz Petrich, director, ABA
Commission on Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, American Bar
Association
• Isha Neha Ruparel, membership development project manager, American
Society for Clinical Pathology
• Star Abernathy, executive administrator,
American Dental Hygienists’ Association
• Aleta D. Harris, senior meeting manager,
American Health Information Management Association.
John C. Thiel Distinguished
Service Award
Stephen P. Stahr,
CAE, managing director of the Million Dollar Round Table
Named in memory of
the Forum chairman-elect in 1990-91,
this award is presented to unsung heroes
who have demonstrated long-term, multifaceted leadership as a Forum volunteer.
Association Workforce
Diversity Scholarships
Six scholarships were awarded to
association professionals from underrepresented populations who are in the
developmental stages of their careers.
The scholarships enable these individuals to attend various seminars and educational training programs, network with
peers and experienced association professionals, and be paired with mentors
who can assist in career planning.
Selected through a process of nomination, application and interviews by the
Forum Workforce Diversity Committee,
Diversity scholars must be part of a
minority group based on ethnicity or race,
sexual orientation or disability and have
a minimum of three years of experience
in the association/nonprofit field. For
information about becoming a scholar or
mentor for 2010-11, contact Workforce
Development Manager Nicholas Bailey
at bailey@associationforum.org or
(312) 924-7043.
