This is an excerpt from the March 2012 ISA Insights member newsletter. For the entire article, please see the link at the bottom of this post.

In case you haven’t heard, the Society has a new honors and awards program—“Celebrating Excellence.” Thanks to a special task force formed by the ISA Honors and Awards Committee and headed by Dr. Peggie Koon, this new program will re-invigorate ISA’s long standing practice of recognizing individuals and companies that have made significant technical contributions to the automation profession, as well as honor ISA members for their service to the Society.

As a technical organization, acknowledgement of technical contributions is a key element of the Society’s awards program. Celebrating Excellence honors companies and individuals, members and non-members, for significant contributions in leadership, technical innovation, and contributions to education that have advanced the profession.

As a volunteer-driven organization, ISA depends on its members and leaders to advance the mission of the Society around the world. The new awards program honors technical accomplishment and service to the Society. A variety of awards among categories, including Education, Leadership, Member’s Choice, Society Service, and Technical Innovation, are offered this year.

Here are a few of the new awards:

• Excellence in Leadership– Recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the industry or profession to advance automation.
• Excellence in [Corporate] Technical Innovation– Recognizes the company whose contributions and innovations have enhanced social value. The contribution or innovation provides a solution to a significant current social, economic, technical, and/or environmental challenge.
• Excellence in [Individual] Technical Innovation – Recognizes an individual who has played a critical role in the conception, design, and/or implementation of an innovative product, process, or service.
• Excellence in Society Service – Recognizes an ISA member for distinguished and dedicated volunteer service to the Society.
• Section Excellence– Recognizes an ISA Section for development or execution of programs or services to advance the mission of the Society.
• Division Excellence– Recognizes an ISA Division for development or execution of programs or services to advance the mission of the Society.

For more information on ISA's new awards program and to see the full list, click here.