The Association of Professional Chaplains® is proud to honor and remember the contributions of these individuals who have received honors in previous years. This list represents awards given by the APC® as well as its predecessor associations, the College of Chaplains and the Association of Mental Health Clergy. Please note that not all awards are given in every year and names and criteria for awards may have changed since their inception by one of the original founding organizations.
Award Recipients By Organization
ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL CHAPLAINS
(May 1998- through the Present)
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
The Distinguished Service Award celebrates the contributions of any individual or organization that promotes the standard of professional chaplaincy in an exemplary manner. This award does not require membership in the APC.
Criteria for Selection:
- Nominee may be (but not limited to) a pastoral care provider, clergy, layperson, systems supervisor and/or administrator, researcher, theologian, educator, faith group official, benefactor, author, physician or other healthcare professional, etc.
- Nominee must have made a significant contribution in promoting the standards of professional chaplaincy or in advancing pastoral care that impacts upon the advance of clinical chaplaincy.
| 1998 | William D. Razz Waff |
| 1999 | Richard E. Stewart |
| 2000 | Walter Smith |
| 2001 | Reginald Hislop, III |
| 2002 | Robert B. Inhoff |
| 2003 | Not awarded |
| 2004 | Anne Underwood |
| 2005 | Paul E. Derrickson |
| 2006 | Earl E. Johnson |
| 2007 | Jimmie C. Holland |
| 2008 | Elisabeth McSherry |
| 2009 | Paul Lorenzo Yeun |
| 2010 | Col. Herman Keizer Jr. |
| 2011 | Not awarded |
| 2012 | Rhonda Anderson |
| 2013 | Wendy Cadge |
| 2014 | Christina M. Puchalski MD FACP |
| 2015 | Kevin J. Flannelly Kenneth I. Pargament |
| 2016 | George Pickle PhD |
| 2017 | Dallas Little DMin BCC |
| 2018 | Not awarded |
| 2019 | Dr. Jacob George ThM DMin BCC |
| 2021 | Anna Lee Hisey Piersen BCC Aaron Jager |
| 2022 | Not awarded |
| 2023 | Jan McCormack BCC Maurice S. Kaprow BCC Melinda Plumley BCC |
ANTON BOISEN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
The Anton Boisen Professional Service Award honors one of the early pioneers in clinical chaplaincy and pastoral care education and is given each year to a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) of the APC who demonstrates a commitment to excellence in professional chaplaincy and has offered a unique contribution to contemporary pastoral care.
Criteria for Selection:
- Nominee must be a current Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) in good standing of the Association of Professional Chaplains or one of its predecessor organizations (College of Chaplains or Association of Mental Health Clergy) for at least three (3) years.
- Nominee must have served as a professional chaplain for at least three (3) years.
- Nominees will have made creative and innovative contributions to professional chaplaincy in their setting of ministry. Examples of area of contribution may include (but are not limited to) education, ministry to the marginalized, spiritual care planning, quality, delivery, counseling, research, multi-disciplinary involvement, bioethics, multi-cultural or interfaith ministry, publications, advocacy, etc.
| 1998 | Frank S. Moyer, Brice Wayne Kinyon, James T. Gullickson |
| 1999 | Kenneth E. Reed |
| 2000 | Robert E. Cullum |
| 2001 | Larry VandeCreek |
| 2002 | Greg Bodin |
| 2003 | Dick D. Millspaugh |
| 2004 | Lerrill White |
| 2005 | Delois Brown-Daniels |
| 2006 | George Fitchett |
| 2007 | Not awarded |
| 2008 | James T. Denley |
| 2009 | The Late Arthur M. Lucas (presented posthumously) |
| 2010 | Martha R. Jacobs |
| 2011 | George Handzo |
| 2012 | Not awarded |
| 2013 | Susan Wintz |
| 2014 | Rev. Bonnie J. Meyer DMin BCC |
| 2015 | Robert L. Grigsby |
| 2016 | Robert A. Kidd MDiv BCC |
| 2017 | Daniel H. Grossoehme DMin MS BCC & Susan L. Jelinek MDiv BCC |
| 2018 | Patricia E. Murphy RSCJ PhD |
| 2019 | Rev. Al Miles MDiv BCC |
| 2019 | Rev. Valerie Storms MDiv BCC |
| 2021 | David Johnson BCC |
| 2022 | Darryl Owens BCC |
| 2023 | Harry Burns BCC Stephen King BCC |
RETIRED CHAPLAIN AWARD RECIPIENTS
The Retired Chaplain Award honors a retired APC member who has made significant contributions to the fields of chaplaincy and pastoral care or to APC during his/her retirement years.
Criteria for Selection:
- Nominee must be a retired Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) of the Association of Professional Chaplains.
- Nominee must have been a member of the APC or one of its predecessor organizations (College of Chaplains or Association of Mental Health Clergy) for at least three (3) years.
- Nominees will have made significant contributions during retirement years in either or both of the following categories:
- outstanding contributions to the field of chaplaincy or pastoral care;
- outstanding contributions to the APC as an organization.
| 1998 | Keith W. Keidel |
| 1999 | Cloyd E. Kress, Robert E. Otto, Dolores M. Pelletier |
| 2000 | Ramon Runkel |
| 2001 | John Shaw |
| 2002 | Ray Lanham |
| 2003 | Ronald D. Ropp |
| 2004 | Ray E. Dice |
| 2005 | Not awarded |
| 2006 | Jerry J. Griffin |
| 2007 | John Rea Thomas |
| 2008 | Richard J. Lehman |
| 2009 | George R. Robie |
| 2010 | Louis H.G. Bier |
| 2011 | Kenneth J. Siess |
| 2012 | Clarke A. Mundhenke |
| 2013 | Emanuel Williams |
| 2014 | Rev. Dr. Milton P. Snyder BCC |
| 2015 | John C. Wilson |
| 2016 | not awarded |
| 2017 | Clark S. Aist, MDiv STM PhD |
| 2021 | Michael Dunn BCC |
OUTSTANDING LOCAL LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS
The Outstanding Local Leadership Award is given to a member in good standing who has exhibited outstanding dedication to and promotion of the APC through active involvement and initiative at the local level, including sub-state, state, or multi-state levels.
Criteria for Selection:
- Nominee must be a member in good standing of the Association of Professional Chaplains.
- Nominee must have been a member of the APC or one of its predecessor organizations (College of Chaplains or Association of Mental Health Clergy) for at least three years.
- Nominees will have made significant leadership contributions at the local level to the APC’s effort support to work and development of professional chaplains and/or enhance membership in or growth and development of the organization.
| 1998 | Kathryn M. Reed (Arkansas) |
| 1999 | Robert J. Long (Illinois) |
| 2000 | Terry Ruth Culbertson (New York) |
| 2001 | Marcia L. Marino (Wisconsin) |
| 2002 | Clarke Mundhenke (Nebraska), George Robie (Nebraska) |
| 2003 | George A. Burn (Pennsylvania), Robert A. Young (Virginia) |
| 2004 | Valerie R. Storms (Florida) |
| 2005 | Gerald Nussbaum (Ohio) |
| 2006 | Floyd G. O’Bryan (Minnesota) |
| 2007 | Jeffery N. Murphy (Mississippi) |
| 2008 | James A. Stephens (Alaska), C.H. (Skip) Wisenbaker, III (Georgia) |
| 2009 | Steven Spidell (Texas), Mark LaRocca-Pitts (Georgia) |
| 2010 | Joseph F. Perez (Texas) |
| 2011 | Carolynne Fairweather (Oregon), Jodie Futornick (Illinois) |
| 2012 | David J. Zucker (Colorado) |
| 2013 | Melanie D. Childers (North Carolina) |
| 2014 | Russell N. Myers (Minnesota) |
| 2015 | not awarded |
| 2016 | Rev. Laurie Peterson Jeddeloh BCC Dirk van der Vorst MDiv BCC |
| 2023 | John Michael Betz BCC William “Gary” Creech BCC |
COLLEGE OF CHAPLAINS
(1946 – through May 1998)
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
| 1972 | Dr. Gaines S. Dobbins, Rev. Frank Moyer |
| 1973 | Dr. John M. Billinsky, Dale S. Benson, MD, Dr. Carl A. Nighswonger (presented posthumously) |
| 1974 | Dr. Wayne Oates, Dr. Charles D. Phillips |
| 1976 | Dr. Robert Preston, Rev. Walter J. Baepler, Rev. Donald R. Piper |
| 1977 | Dr. Myron C. Madden, Jack A.L. Hahn, Dr. Richard H. Jesse |
| 1978 | Dr. Christian A. Hovde, Dr. Kenneth E. Reed, Dr. John A. White |
| 1979 | Rev. Lawrence E. Holst, Rev. Clyde Shallenberger |
| 1980 | Rev. Lawrence W. Gudmestad |
| 1981 | Rev. Herbert W. Hilldbrand, Louis B. Blair |
| 1982 | Rev. Edward J. Mahnke, Rev. Harold Wilke |
| 1983 | Rev. William A. Wagner |
| 1985 | Rev. Leicester R. Potter, Rev. James H. Burns, Rev. G. Howard Linton |
| 1986 | Rev. Myron Ebersole, Rev. Don Gum |
| 1987 | Dr. David Belgum, Rev. Harold Nelson |
| 1988 | Leroy G. Kerney, Ramon Runkel |
| 1989 | Terry Ruth Culbertson, Albert Brendel |
| 1990 | Kathryn S. Turner, Raymond E. Lanham |
| 1991 | Kenneth H. Buckwald, Walter E. Kloss |
| 1992 | Rev. George P. Polk, Rev. John & Carolyn Twiname, Rev. Granger E. Westberg |
| 1993 | Dan Kratz, Aid Assocs. for Lutherans |
| 1994 | William F. Adix, Darrell Nicola |
| 1995 | F. William Spindler |
| 1996 | Harvey Berg |
| 1997 | Fred L. Brown, Frank P. Snow |
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
| 1985 | Rev. Joan Hemenway |
| 1986 | Rev. Earl Hackett, Dr. Frank King |
| 1987 | Robert Duvall, Jerry J. Griffin |
| 1988 | John & Margaret Thomas, Tim Vanduivendyk |
| 1990 | Dale Knuteson, Pamela Shier |
| 1991 | Jane F. Viera |
| 1992 | Sister Michelle Harmon, Rev. Leo J. Poirier |
| 1993 | Larry A. Burton |
| 1994 | John Grindler Katonah |
| 1995 | Timothy H. Little |
| 1996 | Raul Guilarte, James T. Wagner |
| 1997 | Pastoral Care Department of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Kenneth C. Blank, Sherron Hughes-Tremper |
CHAPLAIN EMERITUS AWARD RECIPIENTS
| 1987 | Joe Fred Luck, Richard Johnson, Harvey Schroeder; John J. (Jack) Shepard |
| 1988 | Loren Pretty |
| 1989 | Albert E. Brendel, Wesley E. Crowie, James W. Swafford |
| 1990 | William N. Beachy, Howard E. Mueller, Russell C. Striffler |
| 1991 | Harley Dixon, James E. Flinchbaugh, Donald E. Knick, Alquinn Toews |
| 1992 | Vern H. Albrecht, Louis L. McGee |
| 1993 | Harold R. Nelson |
| 1994 | T. Warner Davidson, Edward F. Dobihal, Jr., Clyde Shallenberger |
| 1995 | George E. Johnson, Roy E. Olson |
| 1996 | Theodore Hoffmann, David Voorhees, Theodora Waring |
| 1997 | Frank E. Havens, Joseph M. Wilcox |
OUTSTANDING STATE LEADER AWARD RECIPIENTS
| 1993 | Robert E. Hamilton (North Carolina) |
| 1994 | Paul A. Bierlein (Ohio) |
| 1995 | George F. Handzo (New York) |
| 1996 | Alice Farquhar-Mayes (Idaho) |
| 1997 | Woodrow Hamilton Rea (West Virginia) |
RUSSELL L. DICKS MEMORIAL LECTURERS
The Russell L. Dicks Memorial Lectures was sponsored by the College of Chaplains from its inception in 1971 until 1998, after which it was sponsored by the Association of Professional Chaplains and renamed as the Russell L. Dicks/Anton Boisen Memorial Lectures. In order to maintain continuity with this award, we have included in this one list all presenters from the College of Chaplains (1971 – 1998) up through the Association of Professional Chaplains (1998 – present).
| 1971 | Dr. Carroll A. Wise, The Institutional Ministry: Retrospect or Prospect |
| 1972 | Dr. Albert L. Meiburgm, Chaplains & Change |
| 1973 | John M. Bilinsky, The Identity and Power of the Chaplain – Faking it or Facing it? |
| 1974 | Dr. Wayne E. Oates, Theological Motifs in the Care of the Sick |
| 1975 | Dr. Fredric M. Norstad, Where have All the Prophets Gone? |
| 1976 | Dr. Rollin J. Fairbanks, Alone with God and Suffering |
| 1977 | St. Mary Concilia Moran, Alfie’s Own Question – What’s it All About? |
| 1978 | Dr. Charles F. Kemp, The Caring Pastoral Care Department |
| 1979 | J. Lennart Cedarlleaf, Listening Revisited |
| 1980 | Robert B. Reeves, Jr., Selfhood in Health and Sickness |
| 1981 | Myron C. Madden, Responsible Ministry in a Changing Society |
| 1982 | Dr. Henlee H. Barnette, New Frontiers in Pastoral Care |
| 1983 | John R. Thomas, Forty Years of Chaplaincy: Reflections & Projections |
| 1984 | Lawrence E. Holst, Hospital Chaplaincy – A Ministry in Paradox |
| 1985 | Julian Byrd, A New Age for Ministry |
| 1986 | Stuart A. Plummer, Future Shock Revisited: Doing More with Less – and Enjoying It Less or More |
| 1987 | P. Wesley Aitken, Russell Dicks Gentle, Powerful and Compassionate Colleague of Richard Cabot |
| 1988 | LeRoy G. Kerney, The Art of Ministering to the Sick: A Book that Serves as a Touchstone for Hospital Ministry |
| 1989 | Harold Wilke, Emerging Lessons from the Life and Though of Russell L. Dicks: A Personal Response |
| 1990 | Granger E. Westberg, A New Vision for the Chaplain of Tomorrow from a Personal Friend of Russell Dicks |
| 1991 | Harold Nelson, Awaking Pastoral Intuition |
| 1992 | Frank S. Moyer, Which Mantle Will We Wear? |
| 1993 | Peggy Way, For Living Creatures: World Connectors and Resident Prophets |
| 1994 | Harvey M. Berg, Chaplaincy: Some Future Challenges |
| 1995 | Gerald Durley, Fields to Plow, Alliances to Create |
| 1996 | Ronald M. Buch, History, Heritage, and Hope: Our Future is Now |
| 1997 | David C. Thomasma, Bioethics, Culture, Spirituality |
RUSSELL L. DICKS/ ANTON BOISEN MEMORIAL LECTURES
| 1998 | No Lecturer, Joint Conference |
| 1999 | Jeffrey M. Silberman, The Metaphor of Chaplain |
| 2000 | Delois Brown Daniels, The Real Risk of Real Partnership |
| 2001 | L. Robert Keck, The Sacred Quest of the Human Soul |
| 2002 | L. H. Mayfield, The Roots That Strenghten Our Reaching |
| 2003 | No Lecturer, Joint Conference |
| 2004 | Richard J. Lehman, Some Footnotes on a Glorious Tradition |
| 2005 | Sr. Monica Ann Lucas, Chaplaincy, By Whose Authority? |
| 2006 | John Patton, Relational Wisdom: The Chaplain’s Specialty |
| 2007 | Marie M. Fortune, Morality and Abuse: Let’s Get Real |
| 2008 | Peter VanKatwyk, The Living Human Document: From Anton Boisen to the Postmodernists |
| 2009 | No Lecturer, Joint Conference |
| 2010 | Ronald Ropp, Memories That Mold Us |
ASSOCIATION OF MENTAL HEALTH CLERGY
(1948- through May, 1998)
ANTON T. BOISEN AWARD RECIPEINTS
The “Criteria for Selection” for the Anton T. Boisen Award Recipient is reproduced from the 1961 AMHC HANDBOOK.
The recipient shall be a clergyman [sic] who is a member in good standing in his particular faith group.
- He [sic] shall have completed at least five years of mental hospital chaplaincy service to the mentally ill.
- He shall have been a member of AMHC for at least five years.
- He shall have demonstrated that he is above average in pastoral insights and skills.
- He shall have evidenced some concern for relating his study of ‘living human documents’ to the great truths of Religion and Theology.
- He shall have demonstrated in the hospital setting, through appropriate teaching opportunities, his insights about Religion and Health and/or his ability to conduct clinical pastoral training.
- He shall have demonstrated that he is capable of developing satisfactory multi-disciplinary relationships with the hospital.
- He shall have been recognized for his contributions to the community through having shared his insights in Religion, Social Welfare and Health activities.
- He shall have demonstrated at least some interest and/or skill in appropriate research.
| 1959 | Anton T. Boisen |
| 1960 | Thomas T. Klink |
| 1963 | William F. Rogers |
| 1964 | Jospeh J.Quinlan |
| 1965 | J. Obert Kempson |
| 1966 | Donald C. Beatty |
| 1970 | Ernest E. Bruder |
| 1971 | John I. Smith |
| 1974 | Charles J. Scott |
| 1975 | John R. Thomas |
| 1980 | Emanuel L. Lifschutz |
| 1981 | Earle T. McKnight |
| 1982 | Joseph F. Woodson |
| 1986 | Clark S. Aist |
| 1987 | George E. Doebler |
| 1990 | Richard J. Lehman* |
| 1991 | Timothy H. Little |
| 1992 | Milton P. Snyder* |
| 1994 | Thomas A. Summers |
| 1995 | Terry R. Bard |
| 1996 | Victoria B. Cowell, Melvin Sabshin |
| 1997 | Patricia W. Barrett, Jack W. Frost, Paul B. Janke, Paul C. Tomlinson |
| 1998 | David E. Carl, Jr. |
*The list prior to 1990 may have omissions. Please forward any corrections to the APC office.
OSKAR PFISTER AWARD RECIPIENTS
The Oskar Pfister Award honors the Rev. Oskar Pfister, a distinguished Swiss pastor/psychoanalyst and life-long colleague of Sigmund Freud, who promoted the dialog between psychiatry and religion. This award is presented to an individual who is dedicated to continuing that dialog. Conferred conjointly by the Committee on Religion, Spirituality and Psychiatry of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the Association of Professional Chaplains, the award and its associated lecture are presented at annual meetings of the APA.
Criteria for Selection
Recipients of the Oskar Pfister Award are those who have:
- Made sustained professional contributions to the interfaces of psychiatry, religion and spirituality through research and clinical practice,
- Have disseminated findings through lectures and publications that have clinical relevance to practicing psychiatrists and clergy, and
- Been recognized by their peers for creative and original contributions to the dialogue between the fields of religion and psychiatry.
The Oskar Pfister Award was co-sponsored by the Association of Mental Health Clergy from 1983 to 1998, and thereafter by the Association of Professional Chaplains. In order to maintain continuity with this award, we have included in this one list all recipients from the AMHC (1983 – 1998) up through the Association of Professional Chaplains (1998-present).
| 1983 | Jerome Frank, An Unprecedented Challenge to Psychiatry and Religion |
| 1984 | Wayne Oates, Some Functions of Belief in Illness and Health |
| 1985 | Viktor Frankl, Man in Search of Ultimate Meaning |
| 1986 | Hans Kung, The Repression of Religiosity |
| 1987 | Robert Lifton, The Psychology of Genocide |
| 1988 | Oliver Sacks, The Unique Case |
| 1989 | William Meissner, The Pathology of Belief Systems |
| 1990 | Peter Gay, A Godless Jew Revisited |
| 1991 | Robert Coles, The Spiritual Life of Children |
| 1992 | Paulus Mar Gregorios, Religious Masters as ‘Psychiaters’: The Therapy of Disciplined Love and Discerning Judgment |
| 1993 | Paul Fleischman, The Healing Spirit |
| 1994 | James Fowler, Healing Spirit: Psychiatry and the Dynamics of Faith |
| 1995 | Prakash Desai, Taking the Psyche Out of Psychiatry: The Case for Hindu Medicine |
| 1996 | Ann Bedford Ulanov, Ritual, Repetition and Psychic Reality |
| 1997 | Ana-Maria Rizzuto, Belief as a Psychic Function |
| 1998 | Allen E. Bergin, Religion and Mental Health |
| 1999 | Don Browning, Internists of the Mind or Doctors of the Soul |
| 2000 | Paul Ricoeur, The Difference Between the Pathological and the Normal as a Source of Respect: Therapeutic and Ethical Implications |
| 2001 | Irvin D. Yalom, Existential Psychotherapy and Religious Consolation: Convergence and Divergence |
| 2002 | David Larson (posthumous), The Nearly Forgotten Century: What a Difference a Decade Makes |
| 2003 | Abraham Twerski, Is There a Place for Spirituality in Therapy? |
| 2004 | Elizabeth Bowman, Dialogue from the Rims of the Grand Canyon: On Bridging the Post-Freudian Chasm Between Religion and Psychiatry |
| 2005 | Armand Nicholi, Jr., The Conflicting World Views of Sigmund Freud and Oskar Pfister: Keys to Understanding Patients |
| 2006 | Ned H. Cassem, Psychiatry and Spirituality at the End of Life |
| 2007 | William R. Miller, Spiritus Contra Spiritum: The Strange Case of Spirituality and Addiction |
| 2008 | Dan G. Blazer, Prozac and the Spiritual Self |
| 2009 | Kenneth I. Pargament, Religious Struggles: A Fork in the Road to Growth or Decline |
| 2010 | George E. Valliant, Toward a New Psychiatry: Valuing Positive Emotions |
| 2011 | Clark S. Aist, “The Oscar Pfister Dialogues: A Search for Meanings” |
| 2012 | Harold G. Koenig, “How Is Religion Relevant to Psychiatry?: Research and Applications” |
| 2013 | Marc Galanter MD, “What We Can Learn From Alcoholics Anonymous About Addiction Treatment, Spiritually-Oriented Recovery, & Social Neuroscience” |
| 2014 | C. Robert Cloninger, “The Three Aspects of Being Human” |
| 2015 | Allan Josephson |
| 2016 | James W. Lomax MD |
| 2017 | James Griffith, MD, “Hope Modules: Brief Psychotherapeutic Interventions to Counter Demoralization from Daily Stressors of Chronic Illness” |
| 2018 | John Swinton MD PhD, “A matter of Faith? The Role of Faith in the Experiences of Christians Living with Severe Mental Health Challenges” |
| 2023 | Rev. William Gaventa |
