Industry Honors

The American Cheese Society bestows awards upon individuals based on contributions to the industry, the support and promotion of American cheese, and volunteer service to the association.

Nominations are now open and winners will be announced at the 2024 ACS Annual Conference. The nomination deadline is April 30, 2024.

Nomination Procedure

ACS members have an opportunity to nominate a candidate by presenting an application which demonstrates a nominee’s contributions to the criteria listed below.

Nominations for the ACS awards are accepted and reviewed annually by the ACS Nomination Committee and are approved by the ACS Board of Directors. Recipients are named and honored at the Business Luncheon at the annual ACS Conference, and in the ACS e-newsletter.

  • Complete the official nomination form online during the nomination period
  • Provide a one-page summary of the nominee’s demonstrated contributions, focusing on the above criteria
  • Provide the nominee’s biography
  • Provide two (2) letters of support for the nominee

_______________________________________________

Lifetime Achievement Award

Purpose

The ACS Lifetime Achievement Award was created in 2006 by the American Cheese Society Board of Directors to honor an individual whose professional accomplishments have made a significant and lasting impact in the American cheese industry, and whose life and character have earned the respect and admiration of their professional colleagues. Nominees must have served the profession over an extended period and will be honored for their service and performance. Recipients may or may not be ACS members.

The ACS Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented whenever a worthy recipient is identified. This may or may not be an annual occurrence.

Criteria

Nominees must have served the profession over an extended period of time. Recipients may or may not be ACS members. The award recipient must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be an individual whose professional accomplishments have made a significant and lasting impact in the American cheese industry.
  • Be respected and admired by professional colleagues.
  • Demonstrate strength in building, supporting and advancing the society and its membership.
  • Have a minimum of twenty (20) years’ experience in a cheese-related profession.

Lifetime Achievement Award Nomination Form

Congratulations to 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients, Dr. Paul Kindstedt and Jeremy Stephenson

 

 

Dr. Paul Kindstedt

Over the past forty years, Dr. Kindstedt has made extraordinary contributions to our cheese world, both through his long career as a food scientist and his work as a talented teacher and communicator.

 

Jeremy Stephenson

Jeremy has been a leader in the artisanal cheese community here in Vermont for decades. His committed work to support the ACS, the American and Vermont Cheese community, while tirelessly promoting and supporting American farmstead and artisan cheese makers and dairy producers, has been remarkable.

 

Past Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients
  • David Gremmels, 2022
  • Paula Lambert, 2022
  • Alyce Birchenough, 2021
  • Debra K. Dickerson, 2021
  • Marianne Smukowski, 2020
  • Ig Vella
  • Dan Carter
  • Steve Jenkins
  • Kathleen Shannon Finn
  • John Greeley
  • Daphne Zepos
  • Ricki Carroll
  • Ari Weinzweig
  • Cathy Strange
  • Mike & Carol Gingrich
  • Sue Conley & Peggy Smith

___________________________________________________

Above and Beyond Award

Purpose

Launched in 2012, this award may be granted to individuals who have made an outstanding volunteer contribution to a specific project for ACS, or who have played a key role in a noteworthy association initiative that has impacted the cheese industry in a meaningful way.

Criteria

Current ACS members in all membership categories are eligible for this award. Award recipients should have made a real and impactful contribution to ACS and/or the cheese industry that is directly related to their project work. The contribution should directly advance at least one of ACS’s core values:

  • Network and Communicate
  • Education and Resources
  • Sustainability

While there is no minimum duration of service that is required, in general, award recipients have given in excess of 400 hours of volunteer time in support of a specific project.

Above and Beyond Award Nomination Form

Past Above and Beyond Award Recipients

 

__________________________________________________

Meritorious Service Award

Purpose

The ACS Meritorious Service Award was created in 2022 to honor a person or persons who have provided, over the course of their professional career, distinctive accomplishments in leadership, mentorship, or advocacy in a selfless manner that has served to better the cheese community as a whole.

Criteria 

Nominees may or may not be current ACS members. There is no minimum duration of service attached to this award, only demonstrable and significant actions that have improved our cheese community

Meritorious Service Award Nomination Form

2023 Meritorious Service Award Recipients: Marc Bates

 

 

Past Meritorious Service Award Recipients
  • Patrick “PJ” Polowsky, 2022
  • Anne Saxelby, 2022

 

___________________________________________________

Academy of Cheese

 

Purpose

The ACS Academy of Cheese (AoC) was created in 1993 to honor individuals who have made, or continue to make, valuable contributions that impact the American cheese industry. The charter induction honored ACS’s original founders and early supporters. Classes of inductees share a related industry vocation for their collective dedication to and passion for growing and supporting the artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheese industry in North America. Inductions can be made in any year, but emphasis is placed on marking anniversary years or significant events with inductions. Classes of inductees are based on a common theme among candidates. AoC provides an opportunity to honor and celebrate these exceptional individuals and raise awareness of their unique contributions to the industry.

Criteria

Inductees may include cheesemakers, cheesemongers, supporting trade members, authors, educators, academics and others who, over the course of a career (generally ten (10) years or more), have demonstrated leadership and commitment to strengthening and contributing to ACS and the wider cheese industry.

Past Academy of Cheese Recipients

1993 Academy of Cheese (ACS 10th Anniversary)
Class: “ACS Founders”

Inductees include the original founders of ACS whose impetus led to the creation of the association in 1983 at Cornell University. Their vision continues to shape ACS today, as the organization reflects the core values and goals they laid out in the early days of the American artisan cheese movement.

  • Frank Kosikowski
  • Dick Kleyn
  • Patrick Rance

2011 Academy of Cheese (First ACS Conference outside US, Montréal)
Class: “Pioneers of Goat Cheese”

Inductees are among some of the earliest and most successful producers of goat cheese in the U.S., leading the charge when goat cheese had not yet attained its current popularity among American consumers. They inspired the next generation of producers, and brought goat cheese to the fore.

  • Jennifer Bice
  • Laura Chenel
  • Allison Hooper
  • Mary Keehn
  • Lettie and Bob Killmoyer
  • Bob Reese
  • Judy Schad
  • Anne Topham