Elmer B. Staats Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Public Service

The award was established to honor a public administrator's career accomplishments and contributions to public service and ASPA over a lifetime. The award criteria are threefold:

Career Accomplishments: The nominee may be retired or still in the workforce but must have:
  • At least 20 years of professional public service
  • Made outstanding contributions to an organization or organizations on a sustained basis
  • Managed, created or facilitated significant programs and/or projects within her/his areas of responsibility to the ultimate benefit of the general public
Contributions to Public Service: Service and contributions to the public sector and/or nonprofit sector are important factors in this award. Such activities may include service on boards and commissions, governmental service and service to professional organizations
Contributions to ASPA: The nominee must have distinguished him or herself through two or more of the following:
  • Excellence in leadership of ASPA as its national president
  • Outstanding service as a member or former member of the ASPA National Council
  • Major contributions to the success of ASPA's national committees, boards and/or steering groups
  • Excellence in the leadership of ASPA Sections and/or Chapters
  • A sustained effort to enhance the image of the profession through ASPA
  • Other distinguished service to ASPA
Apply or nominate someone here.

A recipient of an ASPA or ASPA Endowment Award may not receive the same award more than once. An ASPA or ASPA Endowment award recipient must wait at least one year after receiving it before being eligible for different one. 

No more than one individual may be selected for the award annually.

Previous Winners
This award may not be given out every year.

2023
Parris Glendening

2022
Lyle Wray

2020
Janice Lachance

2019
Nancy Kingsbury

2018
Paul Posner (awarded posthumously)

2017
Jerome Lewis

2016
Stephen E. Condrey

2015
Chester A. Newland

2014      
Michael G. Massiah

2013      
Audrey L. Mathews

2012      
Mary R. Hamilton

2011      
Thaddeus L. Juszczak , Jr. 

2010      
Award not given

2009      
Walter Broadnax

2008      
Sylvester Murray

2007      
Enid Beaumont

2006      
Award not given

2005      
Nesta M. Gallas 

2004      
Robert H. (Tex) McClain, Jr.

2003      
Harlan Cleveland

2002      
David O. Cooke 

2001      
Dwight Ink, President Emeritus, Institute of Public Administration