Distinguished Service Award Past Recipients

The KASA Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually, since 1973, to a retired KASA member who has exhibited exemplary education leadership ability and has brought honor to his/her colleagues, his/her profession, and to himself/herself. A list of the recipients appears below:

Year Winners
 2025 Todd Marshall, Ed.D.
Retired Principal, Dawson Springs Ind. Schools
2024 Patricia Sheffer
Retired Superintendent, Union County Schools
2023 Steve Carter
Retired Superintendent, McCracken County Schools

Mike Ford
Retired Director Pupil Personnel, Boone County Schools
2022 Rick Lasley
Retired Principal, Daviess County Schools
2021 Chris Huffman
Retired DPP, Metcalfe County Schools
2020 Benny Lile, Ed.D.
Retired Superintendent, Metcalfe County Schools
2019 Jennifer Godbey
Retired Family Resource Center Coordinator, Casey County Schools
.
2018 Anthony Strong, Ed.D.
Retired Superintendent, Pendleton County Schools
.
2017 Bob Rogers
Retired Superintendent, Murray Ind. Schools
2016


 David Johnson
Retired DPP, Owensboro Ind. Schools
2015  Lonnie Burgett
Retired Superintendent, Mayfield Ind. Schools
2014 Marshall Kemp
Retired Logan County Schools

2013

Kenneth "Pete" Galloway
Retired Superintendent, Graves County Schools
2012

Tim Hanner
Retired Superintendent, Kenton County Schools

Fred Carter
Retired Superintendent Glasgow Independent Schools
2011 Frank Welch
Retired Superintendent, Pike County Schools
x
2010 Leon Mooneyhan
Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative
2009

Roger Marcum
Retired Superintendent, Marion County Schools
x
2008

Walter Leon Lee
Retired Principal, Owensboro Ind. Schools
x
2007

David Barnett
Morehead State University
x
2006

Carla Foster
Shelby County
x
2005 Ronald “Sonny” Fentress
Superintendent, Anderson County Schools
x
2004 Charles Edwards
Retired Elementary Principal & KDE Director of Leadership Development
x
2003 Woodie Cheek
Retired Superintendent, Bath Co. Schools
x
2002 Judith White
Retired Administrator, Somerset Ind. Schools
x
2001 James Nix
Director of Pupil Personnel, Calloway County Schools
x
2000 Charles Campbell
Superintendent, Barren County Schools
x
1999 Wendell Emerson
Superintendent, Casey County Schools
x
1998 Jane Boyd
Director, Family Resource/Youth Service Center, Danville Ind. Schools
x
1997 Dan Branham, Ed.D.
Superintendent, Boyd County Schools
x
1996 George Kirk
Superintendent, Robertson County Schools
x
1995 Jan Gevedo
Elementary Supervisor, Lincoln County Schools
x
1994 Fred D. Williams, Ed.D.
retired Superintendent, Ft. Thomas Ind. Schools
x
1993 Emajo Carlton
Superintendent, Boyle County Schools
x
1992 Robert Arvin, Ed.D.
Superintendent, Oldham County/Deputy Commissioner of Finance, KDE
x
1991 Thomas Jeffries, Ed.D.
Professor of Education, University of Louisville
x
1990 Charles A. Brown
Superintendent, Fleming County Schools
x
1989 Harold L. Holbrook
Superintendent, Carter County Schools
x
1988 Reed Conder
Superintendent, Marshall County Schools
x
1987 Frank Hatfield
Superintendent, Bullitt County Schools
x
1986 Bill Braden, Ed.D.
Exec. Director, Ky. Assoc. for Counseling and Development
x
1985 Mr. Lloyd Mullins
Superintendent, Spencer County Schools
x
1984 Tom Vinson
Superintendent, Trigg County Schools
x
1983 No award given
x
1982 Charlie Akins
Superintendent, Hardin County Schools
x
1981 James P. Melton
Executive Director, Kentucky School Boards Association
x
1980 WD Kelley
Superintendent, Christian County Schools
x
1979 Gayle W. Bowen
Director, Division of Finance
x
1978 Edward Cline
Internal Auditor, Jefferson County Schools
x
1977 Charles C. McCormick
Superintendent, Campbell County Schools
x
1976 Samuel Alexander
Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction
x
1975 Richard Van Hoose, Ed.D.
Superintendent, Jefferson County Schools
x
1974 Joe Alsop
Director, Division of Finance, KDE
x
1973 Tate C. Page, Ed.D.
Dean, College of Education, Western Kentucky University