(Note: Not every award was given out in every year, and in some years none were presented. Winners for some years were not available.)
2026
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Pam Shaw
Robert S. Bray Award: Vileen Shah
George Card Award: Chris Bell
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Paul Edwards
Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award: Donna Brown
President’s Award: Sharon Lovering
Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award: Regina Marie Brink
Vernon Henley Media Award: Blind and Beyond Radio Show
Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Low Vision Alliance
Affiliate Growth Award (numbers): BITS (96)
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): FIA (61.5%)
Affiliate Outreach Award: Not given
2025
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Kim Charlson
Robert S. Bray Award: Chanelle Allen
George Card Award: Patrick Sheehan
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Lukas Franck
Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award: Cecily Laney Nipper
President’s Award: Rep. Pete Sessions
Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award: Janet di Nola Parmerter
Vernon Henley Media Award: Chantale L. Napier
Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Washington Council of the Blind
Affiliate Growth Award: Florida Council of the Blind
2024
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Michael Garrett
Robert S. Bray Award: Jonathan Mosen
George Card Award: Mitch Pomerantz
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: The Hull Foundation and Learning Center
Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award: Leslie Spoone
Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award: Gary Legates
Vernon Henley Media Award: Jaime Tanner
Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press Award: ACB Next Generation
Affiliate Growth Award (both percentage and numbers): Blind Information Technology Specialists
Affiliate Outreach Award: not given
2023
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Carla Ruschival
Robert S. Bray Award: Brian Hartgen
George Card Award: Sandra Troiano
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: JPMorgan Chase
Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award: Sheila Young
Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award: Maria Kristic
Vernon Henley Media Award: Steve Dresser
Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press Award: not given
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs (52.63%)
Affiliate Growth Award (numbers): Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (38)
Affiliate Outreach Award: not given
2022
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Janet Dickelman
Robert S. Bray Award: not given
George Card Award: not given
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: David Goldfield
Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award: Rhonda Trott
President’s Award: Judy Heumann
Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award: Anthony Corona (“9-11 20 Years”)
Vernon Henley Media Award: Cheryl McNeil Fisher and Kathleen King (for Writing Works Wonders)
Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Not given
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): D.C. Council of the Blind (469.56%)
Affiliate Growth Award (numbers): Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America (125)
Affiliate Outreach Award: not given
2021
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Allan Peterson
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Kim Crowell and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award: Nicholas Giudice
Vernon Henley Media Award: the U.S. Presidential Inaugural Committee, Martin Wilde and Bridget Melton
Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Sally Benjamin and Florida Council of the Blind
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): ACB Next Generation (136.67%)
Affiliate Growth Award (numbers): Blind Information Technology Specialists (81 new members)
Affiliate Outreach Award: Friends ‘N Focus, Medina, OH
2020
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: not given
Robert S. Bray Award: Karen Keninger
George Card Award: Camille Caffarelli *
Ned E. Freeman Excellence in Writing Award: Meka White “Shrimp, Drinks and the Bill”
Vernon Henley Media Award: Don Hardy, Dana Nachman and Disney+ (For “Pick of the Litter”
Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Heather Meares, Reginald George and the Washington Council of the Blind, “WCB Newsline”
Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award: Michael Smitherman
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): Kansas Association of the Blind & Visually Impaired (28.8%)
Affiliate Growth Award (numbers): North Dakota Association of the Blind (37)
2019
Robert S. Bray Award: Aira Technology Corporation
Ned E. Freeman Award: John Buckley
Vernon Henley Media Award: Objective Ed and Blindfold Games, Marty Schultz, President
Hollis Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Ralph Smitherman and the Braille Revival League
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Khosrow “Caesar” Eghtesadi
Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award: Patti Cox
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage and number): ACB Students
2018
Robert S. Bray Award: American Printing House for the Blind
Ned E. Freeman Award: Richard Rueda
Vernon Henley Media Award: NBC Olympics
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Microsoft
President’s Award: Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Affiliate Growth Award (highest number): Mississippi Council of the Blind
2017
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Dr. W. Aubrey Webson
Robert S. Bray Award: The Jerry Kuns and Theresa Postello Media and Accessible Design Laboratory
George Card Award: Cindy Hollis
Margarine G. Beaman Volunteer Award: Sally Benjamin
Ned E. Freeman Award: Jamie Pauls
Vernon Henley Media Award: Mike Duke
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Helen Lee
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): Visually Impaired Veterans of America
Affiliate Growth Award (highest number): Utah Council of the Blind
2016
Robert S. Bray Award: Apple and Sarah Herrlinger
George Card Award: Ward Bond
Margarine Beaman Volunteer Award: Margarine Beaman
Ned E. Freeman Award: Allen Casey
Vernon Henley Media Award: Larry Johnson
Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Sue Lichtenfels and the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Father John Sheehan
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): ACB Government Employees (175%)
Affiliate Growth Award (highest number): Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (49 new members)
2015
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Christine Ha
George Card Award: Walter Spillum
Ned E. Freeman Award: Susan Glass (for “Best Audio Holiday Season Ever,” printed in the March 2015 issue of the Forum)
Vernon Henley Media Award: Comcast
Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Vicky Prahin, Nolan Crabb, and the ACB of Ohio
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Dorothy “Dot” Taylor
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): Blind Information Technology Specialists (%)
Affiliate Growth Award (highest number): Guide Dog Users, Inc. (92 new members)
Affiliate Outreach Award: ACB Ohio-Columbus chapter
Innovation and Inspiration Award: Shubham Banerjee
2014
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Oral Miller
George Card Award: Paul Edwards
Ned E. Freeman Award: Jan Lavine (for “How Braille Changed My Life,” printed in the April 2013 issue of the Forum)
Vernon Henley Media Award: Joel Snyder
Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Victoria Bartlett and the Houston Council of the Blind
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Chris Gray
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): American Council of the Blind of Colorado (82.6%)
Affiliate Growth Award (highest number): California Council of the Blind (242 new members)
2013
Robert S. Bray Award: Weight Watchers
Ned E. Freeman Award: Beverly Clifford (for “Touching Childbirth,” printed in the fall 2012 issue of "The Blind Californian")
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Brian Charlson
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): South Dakota Association of the Blind (29.4%)
Affiliate Growth Award (highest number): ACB of Texas (54 new members)
2012
Robert S. Bray Award: Regal Entertainment Group
Ned E. Freeman Award: Carl Jarvis ("Old Attitudes Die Hard," July-August 2011)
Vernon Henley Media Award: American Cancer Society
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage and highest number of new members): Nevada Council of the Blind
2011
Robert S. Bray Award: Christopher Toth and the Qwitter development team
George Card Award: Pratik Patel
Ned E. Freeman Award: Carmella Broome
Vernon Henley Media Award: Major League Baseball
Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award: Washington state
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Rep. Edward J. Markey, Sen. Edolphus Towns, Rep. John Kerry and Sen. Mark Pryor
Affiliate Growth Award (percentage): Nevada Council of the Blind (78.9%)
Affiliate Growth Award (highest number): Utah Council of the Blind (247 new members)
2010
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Vernon M. Crowder
Robert S. Bray Award: Judy Dixon
George Card Award: Dan & Brenda* Dillon
Ned E. Freeman Award: Lisa Brooks, "How Forgiveness Got Me a Job"
Vernon Henley Media Award: ACB of Texas (for its public service video on white cane safety)
Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award: June Horst and the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind's "PCB Advocate"
Affiliate Growth Award: South Dakota Association of the Blind
2009
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Kathy Nimmer
Bray Award: Barry Levine
Card Award: John Horst
Freeman Award: Rebecca Kragnes
Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award: CCLVI "Vision Access"
Affiliate Growth Award: Mountain State Council
Affiliate Outreach Award: Middle Tennessee Council of the Blind
2008
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Ed “Doc” Bradley
Bray Award: Tuck Tinsley, APH
Card Award: Patricia Beattie
Freeman Award: Alysia Wells
Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award: California Council of the Blind “The Blind Californian”
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Jim Kutsch
Affiliate Growth Award: ACB of New Mexico
2007
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: MJ Schmitt
Bray Award: Norma Schecter* and Frank Kurt Cylke
Card Award: LeRoy Saunders
Freeman Award: Ed* & Toni Eames
Special Achievement Award: Linda Dardarian and Lainey Feingold
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Leroy Johnson
Affiliate Growth Award: American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys
2006
Bray Award: Adrian DeBlaey
Card Award: Charles S.P. Hodge
Freeman Award: Katie Sacca
Henley Award: Michael Mellor
James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award: Rachel Ames
Affiliate Growth Award: BITS
Affiliate Outreach Award: Donna Rose (Michigan Council of the Blind & VI)
Special Achievement Award: Friends of the Hadley School for the Blind
2005
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Brenda Dillon
Card Award: Marlaina Lieberg
Freeman Award: Carl Jarvis
Henley Award: Lynn Manning, in recognition of his work with the staff and cast of "Blind Justice"; Ron Eldard, for his work as Det. Jim Dunbar on "Blind Justice"; Steven Bochco Productions, for excellence in the concept and production of "Blind Justice,"; and GW Micro, for sponsoring the audio description
Distinguished Service Award: James R. Olsen (Name of the award changed this year to honor Jim)
Affiliate Growth Award: Louisiana Council of the Blind
2004
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Bashir Masoodi
George Card Award: Warren Toyama
Robert S. Bray Award: Kim Charlson
Ned E. Freeman Award: Rebecca Shields
Vernon Henley Award: Mark Ashby and Potomac Talking Book Services (recorded version of "People of Vision")
Distinguished Service Award: Dot Taylor
Distinguished Service Award: Lee Robinson (accepted by Vicki Flake)
Affiliate Growth Award: Vermont Council of the Blind
2003
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Ed Walker
George Card Award: Winifred Downing
Robert S. Bray Award: Maxine Dorf
Membership Growth Award: BFLAG
Ned E. Freeman Award: Michael Godino
Vernon Henley Award: Patricia Price
Distinguished Service Award: Ida Scotti
Distinguished Service Award: Jim & Marjorie Megivern
Distinguished Service Award: Bruce Benzler
25 Years of Service: James R. Olsen
Affiliate Outreach Award: Southern Maryland Chapter
2002
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Paul Sauerland
Bray Award: Jim Fruchterman (Bookshare.org)
Card Award: Abraham Nemeth
Freeman Award: Barry Levine
Henley Award: “Prunella’s Special Edition,” executive producer Carol Greenwald and writer Matthew Lane
Distinguished Service Awards: David A. Kuemmel (Fox TV Broadcasting Network), and Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Affiliate Growth Award: ACB of New Mexico
2001
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Sandy Sanderson
Bray Award: Schwann’s Enterprises
Card Award: John Taylor
Freeman Award: Lisa Mauldin
Henley Award: Jonathan Mosen
Affiliate Growth: NABS
Exceptional Achievement: Marie Boring
Distinguished Service: Shirley Keller (Creative Adaptations for Learning)
2000
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Leonard DuBoff
Card Award: Raymond (Bud) Keith
Freeman Award: Ken Stewart
Affiliate Outreach: CCLVI
Affiliate Growth: CCLVI
Exceptional Achievement: Hollis Liggett
Outstanding Service: Margarine Beaman
1999
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Roger Petersen
Bray Award: David Andrus
Card Award: Paul Ponchillia
Freeman Award: Larry Johnson
Affiliate Growth: ACB Lions
1998
Card Award: Charles Crawford
Freeman Award: George A. Covington
Henley Award: Kyle E. McHugh
1997
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Scott Marshall
Freeman Award: Deborah Grubb
Henley Award: Seeing Eye, Inc.
Distinguished Service: Kathleen Megivern
1996
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: David Krause
Bray Award: Mary Roatch
Card Award: Arnold Auch
Freeman Award: Walt Stromer
Henley Award: Tom Brokaw and NBC Nightly News
Special Certificate: Gene Green
1995
Bray Award: Jim Stovall
Card Award: John Brockington
Freeman Award: Kathy Nimmer
Henley Award: Department of Justice
1994
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Dawn Flewwellin
Bray Award: Stephen Dwornik
Card Award: Carl R. Augusto
Freeman Award: Mary Jane Owen
Henley Award: Deborah Kendrick
1993
Durward K. Ambassador Award: Louise Rude
Bray Award: William Wilson
Card Award: Eugene Lozano
Freeman Award: Jenine McKeown
Henley Award: Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind of Smithtown, New York
1992
Freeman Award: Jennifer Sutton
Henley Award: Diane Croft
Outstanding Service Award: Phyllis Stern
1991
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Ewa Brantley
Card Award: Mary Jane Schmitt
Freeman Award: Billie Jean Hill
Henley Award: Barbara Moyer
1990
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Harriet Fielding
Freeman Award: Walt Stromer
Henley Award: Laurie Everett
1988
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: LeRoy Price
Bray Award: Cloetta Mullen
Card Award: Geraldine Pye
Freeman Award: Max Edelman
1987
Freeman Award: Harriet Fielding
1986
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Richard B. Teitelman
Card Award: Floyd Cargill
Freeman Award: Winifred Downing
1985
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Billie Elder
Card Award: Roy Ward
Freeman Award: Rose Resnick
1984
Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award: Arthel L. “Doc” Watson
Bray Award: Jesse Anderson
Card Award: Mae Davidow
1983
Ambassador Award: Durward K. McDaniel
Bray Award: James Chandler
Card Award: Elizabeth Lennon
Freeman Award: Deborah Kendrick
1982
Ambassador Award: Charles (Chick) Crampton
Bray Award: C. Stanley Potter
Card Award: Patricia Price
Freeman Award: John Dashney
1981
Freeman Award: Eugene Saumier
1980
Ambassador Award: Fred Lilley
Bray Award: Charles Gallozzi
Card Award: Esther V. Taylor
1979
Ambassador Award: Ann Chapman
Card Award: Alma Murphey
Freeman Award: Kathleen Megivern
1978
Ambassador Award: Juliet Bindt Esterly
Card Award: Charles Buell
Freeman Award: James Chandler
1977
Ambassador Award: Carl Dotson
Bray Award: Charles La Casce
Card Award: George Burck
1976
Ambassador Award: Roy Kumpe
Card Award: Bill Ferrell
Freeman Award: William B. Campbell* and Otis H. Stephens
1975
Ambassador Award: Brad Burson
Card Award: Trudie Musier
Freeman Award: Oral O. Miller
1974
Ambassador Award: Charles Boswell
Card Award: Fred Lilley
Freeman Award: Billie Elder
1973
Ambassador Award: Edna Schmidt
Freeman Award: Karen Gearreald
1972
Ambassador Award: Bob Riley
Freeman Award: Bettye Krause
1971
Ambassador Award: Travis L. Harris
Card Award: Stanley Doran
Freeman Award: Kenneth Hinga
1970
Freeman Award: Loretta Freeman
1969
Ambassador Award: Clyde Ross
1968
Ambassador Award: George Card
Card Award: George Card
1967
Ambassador Award: Jerry Hall
1966
Ambassador Award: Coleman C. Cates
1965
Ambassador Award: Walter McDonald
1964
Ambassador Award: Eben Whittlesey
1963
Ambassador Award: Jearldine Noeller
* = deceased at the time of presentation