Deadline for applications: January 31 of each year
The Distinguished Service and Special Service Awards honor individuals whose professional accomplishments have made a significant and lasting impact on the POLY Division the ACS. These individuals have not only fulfilled their duties and obligations for POLY, but gone above and beyond expectations. The Distinguished Service Award is a high honor for those that have served POLY and the Special Service Award is the highest honor presented in the Division for service to POLY. A member must receive the Distinguished Award before being considered for the Special Service Award. Typically, one or two distinguished service awards are given every year depending on the number and quality of the nominations, but there is no requirement that one of these awards be conferred every year. These awards are sponsored and administered by the POLY division of the ACS.
Award: Awardees will receive a plaque presented to them at the POLY/PMSE awards symposium at the national meeting of the ACS. The award shall be granted to an individual without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or sexual orientation.
Eligibility: A nominee must be a member or affiliate of the POLY division of ACS. Consideration will be given to an individual whose professional accomplishments have made a significant and lasting impact on the POLY Division the ACS.
Nomination: Nominators must be a member or affiliate of the POLY division and a member of the POLY executive committee. Nomination packages should be sent by email to the chair of the POLY division and should include (in order):
- Nomination letter including examples of specific accomplishments that demonstrate the nominee has exceeded expectations while serving the POLY Division
- Encouraged: support from additional executive committee members
Previous Awardees:
| 2024 | Kathy Mitchem | Special Service Award |
| Sara Orski | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 2023 | Michael Meador | Distinguished Service Award |
| 2022 | Christine Coltrain | Special Service Award |
| 2021 | Hayley Brown | Distinguished Service Award |
| 2020 | H. N. Cheng | Exceptional Service Award |
| Marc Hillmyer | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Scott Iacono | Special Service Award | |
| 2019 | Kevin Cavicchi | Distinguished Service Award |
| 2018 | Travis Baughman | Distinguished Service Award |
| 2017 | Lesia Linkous Pristas | Distinguished Service Award |
| Scott Iacono | Distinguished Service Award | |
| John Pochan | Special Service Award | |
| 2016 | Kathy Mitchem | Distinguished Service Award |
| Charles Carraher | Distinguished Service Award | |
| John Droske | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 2015 | Buddy Ratner | Distinguished Service Award |
| Sarah Morgan | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Ken Carter | Distinguished Service Award | |
| H. N. Cheng | Special Service Award | |
| 2014 | Kryzstof Matyjasewski | Distinguished Service Award |
| Judy Riffle | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 2013 | Krzysztof Matyjaszewski | Distinguished Service Award |
| Greg Tew | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Kristi Kiick | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Jeff Linhardt | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 2012 | Pal Arjunan | Distinguished Service Award |
| Ulrich Schubert | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 2011 | Dana Garcia | Distinguished Service Award |
| Kate Beers | Distinguished Service Award | |
| John Pochan | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Ann B. Salamone | Special Service Award | |
| Neta L. Byerly | Special Service Award | |
| 2010 | Warren Ford | Distinguished Service Award |
| Frank Blum | Special Service Award | |
| 2009 | Frederick R. Dammont | Distinguished Service Award |
| 2008 | Jimmy Mays | Distinguished Service Award |
| Janelle Hampton | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 2006 | Bill Brittain | Distinguished Service Award |
| William H. Daly | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Robert B. Moore | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Robert S. Moore | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Reddy Venumbaka | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 2005 | Thomas Pacansky | Distinguished Service Award |
| H. N. Cheng | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 2003 | James E. McGrath | Special Service Award |
| 2002 | Frank Blum | Distinguished Service Award |
| 2001 | William H. Daly | Distinguished Service Award |
| Robson F. Storey | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Robert B. Moore | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 1999 | James E. McGrath | Distinguished Service Award |
| Neta L. Byerly | Distinguished Service Award | |
| Eli M. Pearce | Special Service Award | |
| 1996 | Ann B. Salamone | Distinguished Service Award |
| 1995 | F. Dammont | Special Service Award |
| B. M. Culbertson | Special Service Award | |
| E. J. Vandenberg | Special Service Award | |
| 1994 | Val Metanomski | Distinguished Service Award |
| 1993 | Stan Israel | Distinguished Service Award |
| 1992 | R. Ikeda | Distinguished Service Award |
| P. Hergenrother | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 1991 | Eli M. Pearce | Distinguished Service Award |
| Frederick Bailey | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 1990 | J. Vogl | Distinguished Service Award |
| 1989 | J. C. Salamone | Distinguished Service Award |
| 1988 | B. H. Ullyot | Distinguished Service Award |
| 1987 | C. S. Marvel | Distinguished Service Award |
| C. G. Overberger | Distinguished Service Award | |
| W. E. Gibbes | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 1986 | W. Stockmayer | Distinguished Service Award |
| E. M. Fettes | Distinguished Service Award | |
| J. C. H. Hwa | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 1985 | B. M. Culbertson | Distinguished Service Award |
| F. R. Mayo | Distinguished Service Award | |
| F. H. Winslow | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 1984 | W. J. Bailey | Distinguished Service Award |
| O. Vogl | Distinguished Service Award | |
| F. Dammont | Distinguished Service Award | |
| 1983 | E. J. Vandenberg | Distinguished Service Award |
| J. Lal | Distinguished Service Award |
For more information about previous awardees, please see:
POLY Distinguished Service Previous Awardees 2016-2025