KPPA Awards
Honoring & Recognizing Those Who've Gone Above & Beyond
KPPA recognizes members of its organization and also people who contribute to the organization that are not members through the KPPA awards.
Here you will find a list of current holders of the Honorary Life, National, and Special awards.
KPPA Awards the Special, national and Life award to members who have distinguished themselves in the organization.
The Kansas Professional Photographers Association annually recognizes persons who have contributed to the advancement of professional photography and the association. Deadline for award nominations is prior to the KPPA Winter Seminar.
- The Honorary Life Award -
The highest and most important award that KPPA can present, it honors those persons who have “gone beyond the call of duty”, in promoting professional photography and the association. Their self-sacrifice of time, money and long, hard hours of work, without extra recognition or payment, should be considered. Because it is the highest KPPA award, it should be presented to a member with the most outstanding credentials.
Honorary Life Members
1949 - C. W. Stevens
1950 - Jack Wambsley
1954 - F. W. Wesley
1954 - Orvie Rhea
1955 - William Rodges
1958 - Karl Eitner
1962 - Les Kubiac
1964 - Richard E. Ekey
1966 - Tony Wichers
1971 - Lawrence Blaker
1972 - LaVerne Freisen
1975 - William Miller
1976 - Harold Woolwine
1977 - Pat Shoemaker
1980 - Virginia Freisen
1981 - Jean Thompson
1982 - Irene Shoemaker
1983 - Frank Fogler
1984 - Roy Nickum
1985 - Ed Gunnerson
1986 - Wilma Nickum
1987 - Elgin Smith
1987 - Dorothy Smith
1988 - R. Howard Eastwood
1988 - DeDe Fogler
1989 - Dale Williams
1989 - Wendell Williams
1989 - Leon Crooks
1989 - Gladys Rutherford
1990 - Herb & Glo Williams
1990 - Roydell Donaldson
1990 - Bud Kennedy
1991 - John Perryman
1992 - Henry Andrade
1994 - Bruce Smith
1994 - Dan Wallace
1996 - Suzann Mertz
1996 - Phil & Merle Brent
1997 - Donna Eastwood
1997 - Delores Williams
1997 - Jim & Nola Stucky
1998 - Connie & Chuck Gehring
1998 - Johnie Cook
1998 - Ron Clevenger
1999 - Stan Reimer
1999 - Richard Rietcheck
2000 - John Alt
2001 - Chuck Frazier
2001 - Bill Clarke
2002 - Laurel Kennedy
2002 - Roy Meyer
2003 - Dave Mencl
2004 - Mark Weber
2005 - Gary Fail
2005 - Stephen Smith
2006 - T. Michael Stanley
2007 - Leon Staab
2008 - Ken Rutherford
2009 - Don Brent
2010 - Steve Attig
2011 - Michael Bishop
2012 - S. Fred Taylor Jr.
2013 - Dave Adams
2013 - John Gladman
2014 - Charlie Rees
2015 - Linda Clevenger
2016 - Waldo O. Berry III
2017 - Rodger & Susan Doherty
2017 - John & Cindy La Barge
2018 - Shane Boultinghouse
2018 - Marti Weber
2018 - Barb Mencl
2020 - Katie Rockers
2021 - Peggy Fischer
2022 - Nathan Ham
2022 - Connie Fail
2023 - Leann Kucerik
2023 - Cathy Colborn
KPPA Honorary Life Award recipient Leann Kucerik
Images Courtesy Michelle Tessaro
KPPA Honorary Life Award recipient Cathy Colborn
Images Courtesy Michelle Tessaro
- The National Award -
This award is available to PP of A affiliates and is designed to honor persons who have performed outstanding service in the advancement of professional photography. The award may be given to a non-member, or someone not in the profession.
National Award Recipients
1958 - Charles Stevens
1959 - William Rogers
1961 - Lawrence Blaker
1962 - Tony Wicher
1963 - Carl Johnson
1964 - William Miller
1965 - Dwight Krehbiel
1966 - Jean Thompson
1967 - LaVern Freisen
1968 - Wendell Williams
1969 - Robert Wichers
1970 - Dale Williams
1971 - Frank Fogler
1972 - Virginia Freisen
1973 - Leon Crooks
1974 - Ruby Valenzuela
1975 - Wilma Nickum
1976 - Bud Kennedy
1978 - Pat Shoemaker
1979 - Roy Nickum
1980 - Roy Meyer
1981 - Herb & Glo Williams
1982 - Roydell Donaldson
1983 - Howard Eastwood
1984 - Henry Andrade
1985 - Bill Davis
1986 - Chuck Frazier
1987 - Stan Reimer
1988 - Laurel & Linda Kenney
1989 - Dan Wallace
1990 - Chuck & Connie Gehring
1991 - Phil & Merle Brent
1992 - James Stucky
1993 - Dave Mencl
1994 - Bruce & Shelley Smith
1995 - Ron Clevenger
1996 - Deloris Williams
1997 - Mark Weber
1998 - Sharlyn Wallace
1999 - Stephen Smith
2000 - Gary Fail
2001 - Leon Staab
2002 - Elgin & Dorothy Smith
2003 - Don Brent
2004 - Steve Attig & Fred Taylor
2005 - T. Michael Stanley
2006 - Mardi Weber
2007 - Michael Bishop
2008 - Mark Higgins
2009 - John Gladman
2010 - Charles Rees
2011 - Linda Clevenger
2012 - Edie Smith
2013 - Waldo O. Berry III
2014 - John & Cindy La Barge
2015 - Susan Treft & Rodger Doherty
2016 - Nola Stucky
2017 - Katie Rockers
2018 - Bob Victor
2019 - Terry Tuggle
2020 - Kathleen Pearce
2021 - Leann Kucerik
2022 - Dave Adams
2023 - Nathan Ham
2024 - Linda Gregory
Linda Gregory's Family was awarded the PPA National Award
Image Courtesy of Cyndi Circle
- The KPPA Special Award -
Similar to the National Award, but on a smaller scale, it honors persons who have worked hard for the association without consideration of the sacrifices incurred. The award may be presented to more than one person a year, and also to non-members. The awards will be presented during our Winter Expo Annual Awards and Banquet.
KPPA Special Award Recipients
1950 - D.D. Delger
1960 - P.D. Conard
1961 - F. O. Makerurth
1962 - J. P. Stain
1963 - Harold Woolwine
1964 - Bill Moresman
1965 - Don Forbes
1965 - Edward McCloud
1965 - Herb Parks
1966 - C. H. Rorabaugh
1968 - Garry Milsap
1973 - Tony Wichers
1974 - Glenn Rider
1975 - Glen Cook
1975 - Simon Schmidt
1976 - Dwight Krehbiel
1977 - Bill Clarke
1978 - M. L. Finnholt
1978 - Ed Gunnerson
1979 - Roydell Donaldson
1979 - June Youngren
1980 - Ron Clevenger
1980 - Bill Elliot
1980 - Art Eveland
1980 - E. E. Quigg
1981 - Richard Rietcheck
1982 - Bill Sipple
1983 - Dale Weiss
1984 - Johnie Cook
1984 - Fred Lassman
1985 - Steve Forster
1985 - Jim Parrott
1986 - Greg Duncan
1987 - Blick Blickenstaff
1987 - Donella Penrod
1988 - Dan & Sharlyn Wallace
1989 - Dan Dowling
1990 - Donna Eastwood
1990 - Carolyn Marcum
1991 - Mark Weber
1992 - Nola Stucky
1994 - Don Brent
1994 - Gary Fail
1995 - Shelley Smith
1995 - Sharlyn Wallace
1996 - Jim Vequist
1996 - T. Michael Stanley
1997 - Mardi Weber
1997 - Dave Adams
1998 - Ken Rutherford
1999 - Ken Easdon
2000 - Rick Williams
2000 - Connie Fail
2001 - Susan Treft
2002 - Bruce Cochener
2002 - Jay Hall
2003 - Duane Koller
2003 - Bob Huber
2004 - Linda Clevenger
2005 - Larry Emerson
2005 - Charlie Rees
2006 - Michael Bishop
2007 - Leon Crooks
2007 - Rodger Doherty
2009 - Katie Rockers
2011 - Kathleen Pearce
2012 - Waldo O. Berry, III
2012 - Cindy La Barge
2013 - Ron Clevenger
2013 - John La Barge
2013 - Susan Treft & Rodger Doherty
2013 - Blake White
2014 - Phillip Frangenberg
2015 - Cathy Colborn
2016 - Jamie Lange
2017 - Leann Kucerik
2018 - Greg Pollock
2018- Carol Myers
2019 - Nikki Hightree
2019 -Jamie Lange
2019 -Cindy La Barge
2019 -Brittney Heiter
2020 - Donna Pollock
2020 - Ali Corbett
2021 - Peggy Fischer
2023 - William Layton
2024 - Ashley Metler
2024 - Gale Wall
Ashley Metler awarded KPPA Special Award 2024
Image Courtesy of Cyndi Circle
Gale Wall awarded KPPA Special Award 2024
Image Courtesy of Cyndi Circle
Recommendation For Awards - KPPA reserves the right to give awards to its members as special recognition to its members. See the awards page for more details. These awards require a written nomination and are voted on by the board. Please make sure your nominations are sent to the KPPA Secretary prior to the Winter seminar and board meeting.
Recommendation For Awards - KPPA reserves the right to give awards to its members as special recognition to its members.
These awards require a written nomination and are voted on by the board.
Please make sure your nominations are sent to the KPPA Secretary prior to the Fall Shutter Expo.
Not a Member Yet?
If you’re ready to take your photography to the next level, a membership with Kansas Professional Photographers Association is a great place to start! We’re not only a professional organization, but a family of photographers you can count on whenever you need something.
There’s something for everyone!
