Honoring our Special Award Winners
Past, Present and Future...
Communicator of the Year Award
Honors a member of the community for his or her contributions to the community through communications. This person is not a communicator by profession — but by passion.
2021- Phil Armstrong - 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission
2019- Teryl Rose - ONE Gas
2018- Kimberly Johnson - Tulsa City-County Library
2017- Jeff Stava - George Kaiser Family Foundation
2016- Shagah Zakerion - TYPROS
2015- Scott Shepherd - ONE Gas
2013- Bob Portiss - Tulsa Port of Catoosa
2012- Nancy Day - Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice
2011- Pierce H. Norton - ONEOK
2010- Sandra Lewis - Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless
2009- Dr. Tom McKeon - Tulsa Community College
2008- Ann Smith - Neighbor for Neighbor
2007- John Gibson - ONEOK CEO
2006- Julie Tattershall - Heller and Clark Theatres
2005- Gene Batchelder - ConocoPhillips
2004- Henry Zarrow - Tulsa philanthropist and businessman
2003- Lucky Lamons - Foundation for Tulsa Schools
2002- Keith Bailey - Williams CEO
2001- Bill Self, KU Basketball Coach (TU coach at the time)
2000- Kerry Walsh - Walsh Branding
1999- Susan Savage - Former Tulsa Mayor
John Hartman Professional of the Year Award
Recognizes the outstanding achievements of an IABC member in his or her career, profession and community.
2021- Jessica Carthen - Public Service Company of Oklahoma
2019- Becky Carver - ONEOK
2018- Megan Patterson - ONEOK
2017- Jennifer Rector, SCMP - ONE Gas
2016- Kendra Thompson - Cancer Treatment Centers of America
2015- Angela Byers - Byers Creative
2013- Shannon Frederick - Walmart
2012- Tom Droege - Rex PR
2011- Ginger D. Homan, ABC, SCMP- Zia Communications
2009- Steve Higgins - Williams
2008- Susie Wellendorf - Wellendorf Communications
2007- Megan Washbourne - ONEOK
2006- Kerry Walsh - Walsh Branding
2005- Kim MacLeod - City of Tulsa
2004- Tracy Harlow, ABC - ConocoPhillips (Now Walmart)
2003- Joe Williams
2001- Russ Florence - Schnake Turnbo Frank
2000- Kerry Malone - Williams
Rising Star Award
2021- Cynthia Hugli, PCM - Vonage (formerly Byers Creative)
2019- Kayla Merritt - Helmerich and Payne
2018- Noël Freeman, SCMP – T.D. Williamson (formerly Byers Creative)
Leon Bolen Service Award
Formerly the President’s Award, the award is selected by the chapter president and given to the IABC Tulsa member who has contributed/volunteered the most to the chapter over the past year. The award was renamed in 2009 in honor of longtime IABC member Leon Bolen, owner of BolenInk, to recognize his many decades of service, leadership, dedication and generosity toward IABC/Tulsa in order to further the organizations’ mission.
2021- Monica Johnson - TTCU Federal Credit Union
2019- Cindy Bolen - BolenInk
2018- Kim Kuehler - Tulsa International Airport
2017- Leslie Agee, SCMP - Linde Engineering North America
2016- Haylee Westwood - ONE Gas
2015- Cody Bromley - Enovation Controls / Sara Pollard - Walmart
2013- Angela Byers - Byers Creative
2012 - Rachel Payne Wagner - Walmart / Phillip Harris - Williams
2011- Lucia O’Connor - O’Connor Ink
2010- Shannon Frederick - Walmart
2009- Steve Higgins - Williams
2007- Lynn Zimmerman - ConocoPhillips
2006- Leslee Stewart -ConocoPhillips
2005- Ginger D. Homan, ABC - Zia Communications
2004- Shea Daugherty - Conoco Phillips
IABC Fellow
The IABC Fellow designation is the highest honor we bestow on our members. Becoming a Fellow denotes a body of achievement by a communicator who has had a significant impact not only on their organization and IABC, but also on the communication profession at large.
2009 - Joe Williams
Lifetime Dedication Award
2016- John Simmons
20+ Years of IABC Membership and Service (as of 2020)
Joe Williams - 45 years
Ginger D. Homan - 37 years
Kerry Malone - 29 years
Kendra Thompson - 28 years
Steve Higgins -26 years
Susie Wellendorf - 25 years
Joe Epperley - 24 years
Barbara Hasbini - 21 years
Tracy Harlow - 21 years
Phillip Harris - 21 years
Shannon Frederick - 20 years