The Deborah McKenzie Award is a special recognition established in 2024 to honor her exceptional service to AOAC, and to recognize her accomplishments as a long-time member of the AOAC staff. This award aims to continue honoring staff members who demonstrate extraordinary dedication and commitment that members rely on. It recognizes those who have been outstanding in their efforts to carry out the principles and further the mission of AOAC INTERNATIONAL. As the highest award bestowed upon a staff member, it celebrates extraordinary service to the Association.
Criteria
- The nominee has been a member in good standing of the staff of AOAC INTERNATIONAL for at least 20 years.
- Nominee should have, through sustained involvement, made the Association an integral part of their career commitment; nominee should be identified with special, innovative, or creative initiatives that enhance the Association’s value to its members and promote recognition of AOAC and its mission worldwide; nominee should have, through leadership and example, nurtured other staff and/or members and inspired future leaders of the Association.
- Nominee’s accomplishments, knowledge and experience go beyond what is expected of the average staff member, have a lasting impact on the Association and are so significant that the recipient’s worthiness to receive the award is clearly evident.
Procedures
- Nominations will be accepted on an ongoing basis. They may be submitted by any Individual Member of AOAC INTERNATIONAL.
- Nominations are to be submitted to the AOAC Executive Director and must include a written description, in detail, of the nominee’s contributions to AOAC INTERNATIONAL.
- The nomination must be accompanied by endorsement of at least 25 members of AOAC INTERNATIONAL in addition to the nominator.
- Selection of the award recipient requires unanimous approval by the full Board of Directors.
- The intent is for this award to be granted rarely, rather than on a regular basis.
Award
- The recipient shall receive an award bearing an appropriate testimonial to be presented at the Annual Meeting, and, if needed, all expenses (in accordance with AOAC INTERNATIONAL travel policy guidelines) incident to attending the Annual Meeting where the award is to be presented. The awardee will receive a $1,000 cash award and lifetime membership in AOAC INTERNATIONAL, subject to meeting membership criteria.
- Whenever an awardee is chosen, the name of the awardee, with a supporting article, shall be published in the next available issue of Inside Laboratory Management and the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL and otherwise appropriately publicized.
