2005 President’s Medal was presented by President Sandra Lewis to…

Carl Shuster

I am pleased to announce that our Web Editor, Carl Shuster (otherwise known as out “web guru”) has been awarded the 2005 President’s Award. Carl has worked tirelessly this past year as we transitioned from our former web company to our new web company, Affiniscape. Not only was Carl very much involved in assisting the HAPS Board of Directors with selection of our new web company, he has also worked with the Board, HAPS Headquarters, our Committee Chairs, and Affiniscape all year long to implement the new site and to provide numerous hours of training. Carl’s skills and dedication to excellence enabled us to move forward with this huge undertaking, which ultimately has benefited our organization enormously. He has helped HAPS function in a more professional and efficient manner, has been most receptive to implementing new ideas, and has been very patient with all of us during this challenging, but necessary transition for our organization. The Board’s decision was unanimous and immediate for Carl Shuster to be our first recipient of the “President’s Award.”

Let me explain how this award cam about. Two years ago, Dr. Karen LaFleur, Past President, sent a passionate plea to the Board to consider more formal ways of recognizing our hard working, dedicated volunteers. In her original letter, she suggested the idea of establishing an annual “President’s Medal” to be given to a HAPS member who had gone above and beyond HAPS duty and exceeded all expectations of a volunteer of HAPS. In April, after working out some of the details of this new award, I took the idea to the Board, who embraced it with enthusiasm and approved the award.

This award carries with it not only the honor and respect of the award itself, but also a lovely engraved medal with the HAPS logo on one side and the name and year of the award, with the recipient’s name on the other side. It also comes with the following: conference registration fee and annual banquet fee, paid by HAPS, at a future annual conference of the recipient’s choosing; an article announcing the recipient, written by the awarding President, for the next Fall Edition of the HAPS-EDucator, and a formal letter of appreciation sent to the administration of the recipient’s home institution.

Carl Shuster’s willingness to assume the important responsibility of Web Editor is a tribute to him personally, as well as the college he represents. He has contributed significantly to our organization’s growth, partnerships with other organizations, fiscal solvency, and ability to communicate and function more efficiently within our various constituencies. He also has a great sense of humor, which we always appreciate! It has been my privilege and pleasure to work with Carl this past year, and it is my honor to award him the President’s Medal for 2005. Carl, on behalf of HAPS, I want to say thank you most sincerely for all you have done for us.