AWARD RECIPIENTS
The VOA recognizes certain Optometrists and individuals every year. (Click here for award descriptions. ) We are proud to display these exceptional recipients...
Optometrist of the Year Distinguished Achievement Vanguard of the Year Keyperson of the Year Meritorious Service
Optometrist of the Year
2025 Dr. Jacqueline Theis
2024 Dr. Gene Sweetnam
2023 Dr. Amanda J. Umlandt
2022 Dr. Lisa V. Gontarek
2021 Dr. Jeffrey C. Michaels
2020 Dr. Walt Whitley
2019 Dr. Jen Weigel
2018 Dr. Adam P. Parker
2017 Dr. Robert M. Allen
2016 Dr. Christine W. Cook
2015 Dr. Gerald R. Neidigh
2014 Dr. Robert L. Bass
2013 Dr. Shannon C. Franklin
2012 Dr. Kurt P. Finney
2011 Dr. George F. Brown
2010 Dr. David H. Hettler
2009 Dr. Fred E. Goldberg
2008 Dr. Jeffrey C. Michaels
2007 Dr. A. Susan Keene
2006 Dr. Marc A. Hudson
2005 Dr. M. E. “Pat” Jackson
2004 Dr. Joseph E. Droter
2003 Dr. James E. Powers
2002 Dr. Carol D. Record
2001 Dr. Elton Brown
2000 Dr. Roxann L. Robinson
1999 Dr. Gary St. Clair
1998 Dr. Thomas R. Cheezum
1997 Dr. James Cornetta
1996 Dr. Benjamin J. Lambert
1995 Dr. Charles Harrill
1994 Dr. Robert Greenburg
1993 Dr. Gordon W. Jennings
1992 Dr. John P. Baumgardner
1991 Dr. A. Gregory Toler
1990 Dr. Samuel C. Smart
1989 Dr. Robin P. Rinearson
1988 Dr. Lowell H. Gilbert
1987 Dr. Kenneth A. Lebow
1986 Dr. John F. Jones
1985 Dr. Bernard Stier
1984 Dr. Stanley L. Jason
1983 Dr. W. Ernest Schlabach
1982 Dr. Samuel J. Cole
1981 Dr. Joel N. Zaba
1980 Dr. Benjamin J. Lambert
1979 Dr. Edward Millan
1978 Dr. Michael J. Obremskey
1977 Dr. Charles E. Johnston
1976 Dr. James R. Prince
1975 Dr. James Fowler
1974 Dr. John L. Howlette
1973 Dr. J. P. Gardner, Jr.
1972 Dr. P. J. McEwen
1971 Dr. Andrew J. Metz
1970 Dr. Douglas P. Wisman
1969 Dr. Bernard A. Morewitz
1968 Dr. Frederick U. Baublitz
1967 Dr. Howard D. Kahn
1966 Dr. Carl A. Kauffman
1965 Dr. Edward W. Gilbert
1964 Dr. William M. Turner
1963 Dr. C. L. Beauchamp
1962 Dr. Gordon S. Buchanan
1961 Dr. John L. Miller
1960 Dr. Robert R. Burrage
1959 Dr. E. B. Gatten, Jr.
1958 Dr. John J. Reid
1957 Dr. John Baumgardner
1956 Dr. L. Paul Quillen
1955 Dr. George Hall, Jr.
1954 Dr. H. L. Friedenberg
1953 Dr H. L. Friedenberg
1952 Dr. John R. Bell
1951 Dr. E. O. Hubbard
1950 Dr. W. R. Carper
1949 Dr. Frank O. Taliaferro
1948 Dr. S. S. Loewner
1947 Dr. William M. Turner, Jr.
1946 Dr. Carl A. Kauffman
1945 Dr. Alma H. Wilcox
1944 Dr. F. C. Bullington
1943 Dr. Leo C. Ransone
1942 Dr. Gerald T. Eaton
1941 Dr. William B. French
1940 Dr. Louis L. Meyer
1939 Dr. C. W. Devier
1938 Dr. E. B. Gatten, Sr.
1937 Dr. I. J. Mercer, Sr.
1936 Dr. I. J. Mercer, Sr.
1935 Dr. Herbert E. Cross
1934 Dr. E. C. Ellis
Distinguished Achievement
2025 Dr. Kelsey Guth
2024 Dr. Elton Brown
2023 Dr. Christine W. Cook
2022 Drs. Gerald R. Neidigh & Jeffrey C. Michaels
2021 Dr. Shawn H. Hobbs
2020 Dr. Michael Radoiu
2019 Dr. James E. Powers
2018 Dr. Joseph E. Droter
2017 Dr. Jeffrey C. Michaels
2016 Dr. James V. Cornetta
2015 Dr. Joel N. Zaba
2014 Dr. Fred E. Goldberg
2013 Dr. John Leeth
2012 Dr. Thomas Finley
2010 Dr. Robert M. Malatin
2009 Dr. Benjamin J. Lambert, III
2008 Dr. William Christopher Holcomb
2007 Dr. Robin P. Rinearson
2006 Dr. Thomas R. Cheezum
2005 Dr. Charles Harrill
2004 Dr. Roxann L. Robinson
2003 Dr. A. Gregory Toler
2002 Dr. Robert Resnick
2001 Dr. John L. Howlette
2000 Dr. Gordon W. Jennings
1999 Dr. Winston C. May
1998 Dr. William O. Wills
1997 Dr. W. Ernest Schlabach
1996 Dr. Robert L. Bass
1996 Dr. James V. Cornetta
1996 Dr. Lowell H. Gilbert
1996 Dr. Stanley L. Jason
1996 Dr. Steven A. Linas
1996 Dr. David A. Lotz
1996 Dr. Carol D. Record
1996 Dr. Roxann L. Robinson
1996 Dr. William O. Wills
1995 Dr. Lowell H. Gilbert
1994 Dr. James R. Prince
1993 Dr. Howard D. Kahn
1992 Dr. Bernard A. Morewitz
1991 Dr. Sidney H. Slavin
Vanguard of the Year
2025 Dr. Tori Pierce
2024 Dr. Katherine Rachon
2023 Dr. Christine C. Paschal
2022 Dr. Jacqueline M. Theis
2021 Dr. Michael F. Polo
2020 Dr. Lauren G. Windham
2019 Dr. Cecelia C. Koetting
2018 Dr. Amanda J. Umlandt
2017 Dr. Lucas H. Spiker
2016 Dr. Amber Hurley
2015 Dr. Jenny N. Alsop
2014 Dr. Valerie Foytik
2013 Dr. Brent Segeleon
2012 Dr. Walter O. Whitley
2011 Dr. Jen Weigel
2010 Dr. Robert C. Sparrenberger
2009 Dr. Adam Parker
2007 Dr. Jennifer E. Davis
2005 Dr. Amanda Brewer-Smith
2004 Dr. Gerald B. Neidigh
2003 Dr. Jeffrey C. Michaels
2002 Dr. Shannon Franklin
2001 Dr. Michelle R. Trump
2000 Dr. Robert M. Allen
1998 Dr. Marc A. Hudson
1997 Dr. Pamela D. Lundberg
1996 Dr. Anne Meccariello
1995 Dr. David W. Barber
1994 Dr. Alan G. Toler
1993 Dr. Christopher J. Renner
1992 Dr. David H. Hettler
1991 Dr. Richard Snively
Keyperson of the Year
2025 Dr. Nina Cox
2024 Dr. Gerald R. Neidigh
2023 Dr. Gene Sweetnam
2022 Dr. Sushil K. Jain
2021 Dr. Lisa V. Gontarek
2020 Dr. Adam Parker
2019 Dr. Joe Blackstock
2018 Dr. Fred E. Goldberg
2017 Dr. Joseph E. Droter
2016 Dr. Gerald R. Neidigh
2015 Dr. Walter O. Whitley
2014 Dr. David J. Tang
2013 Dr. George F. Brown
2011 Dr. David A. Lotz
2010 Dr. Tina N. Burr
2009 Dr. George F. Brown
2008 Dr. Samuel A. Martin
2007 Dr. Douglas Weberling
Meritorious Service
Mary Bullock Laura S. McHale
2025 Mary Bullock
2025 Laura S. McHale
2024 Tracy DeLuca
2022 Delegate Roxann Robinson, O.D.
2022 Bo Keeney
2022 Senator Chap Petersen
2022 Delegate Mark Sickles
2018 Senator David R. Suetterlein
2017 Senator Thomas K. Norment, Jr.
2015 Delegate R. Lee Ware
2014 Bruce B. Keeney, Sr.
2009 Delegate Christopher Peace
2009 Sherry Cooper (AOA)
2006 Delegate William Janis
2000 Delegate Philip Hamilton
2000 Senator William Barry
1999 Bruce B. Keeney, Sr.
1996 Stephan Volk, M.D.
1996 Delegate John Reid
1983 Delegate Thomas Moss, Jr.
