Outstanding Service in the Public Interest
This award is bestowed upon an individual outside the profession who has done something to further the cause of proper eye care for the public. This award has typically gone to someone in the political areas, professions, or the news media. The award serves to recognize their acts for the visual welfare of the public.
Previous Winners:
1985 Sen. William C. Dunbar, Rep. Steven Moberly
1986 Rep. Philip T. Warner, Rep. J. Roberts Dailey, Rep. Richard M. Dellinger, Rep. Sheila Klinker, Sen. James Jontz, Sen. Roger L. Jessup, Doris Dean Parnell, Myra Till
1987 Sen. Robert D. Carton, Rep. Dan Coats
1988 Leah S. Mannweiler, William S. Keown, Sen. Douglas A. Hunt, Rep. William A. Crawford, Leigh E. Morris, Eugene F. Downhour, Alfred F. Izdepski, Ronald W. Wuensch
1989 Indiana Lions Eye Bank, Lloyd J. Banks, Frank C. McAlister, James Roche, D.D.S.
1992 Honorable Evan Bayh, Honorable Linley E. Pearson, Paula L. Walton, M.D. Maurice E. John, M.D., Indiana Pharmacists Association
1993 Leroy Rhea, R.Ph., W. Wayne Townsend, Rep. George Schmid, Indiana Chapter, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Jim Wilkey, President, Indiana Women's Auxiliary, Fraternal Order of Eagles. Jeanne Gland, President
1994 Rep. Craig Fry, Sen. Patricia Miller, Sen. Richard Worman, Central Indiana Reading Radio, John "Chris" Bailey, M.D., Joseph Faust, M.D.
1995 Howard Green, Brian Bolinger, Tom Granger, Sandy Kyle, Mark Feider, Steve York, Chris Bowers, Kathleen Sparks, Mark Eckerling, Rep. Jeff Espich
1996 Dr. Suellen Reed, Patricia Eifert, R.N.
1997 Ed Bowman, National Federation of Independent Business; Barbara Sargent , Indiana Optometry Board and Health Profession Bureau; Joseph McSoley
1998 Robert McNevin, Legal Counsel
1999 Katie Humphreys, Rozann Rothman
2000 Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust; Joyce Roush
2001 Sally Hegeman, Ph.D.
2002 Rep. Vaneta Becker, Rep. Charlie Brown, Rep. Bill Crawford and Sen. Steve Johnson
2003 Greg Wilson, M.D., Indiana State Health Commissioner
2004 Prevent Blindness of Indiana
2005 Ms. Joni Albright and Ms. Joyce Black from the Indiana State Board of Health and Health Care Excel
2007 Rep. Peggy Welch, Bloomington
2008 Sen. Marvin D. Riegsecker, Goshen
2009 Sen. Ryan Mishler, Bremen
2010 Paige Reichardt, Valparaiso; Barbara Marvel McNutt, Indianapolis
2011 Rep. Craig R. Fry, Mishawaka
2013 Rep. Ed Clere, New Albany
2014 Rep. Steve Davisson, Salem
2015 Rep. Steve Davisson, Salem
2016 Sen. Michael Crider, Greenfield; Rep. Ed DeLaney, Indianapolis; Rep. Randy Truitt, West Lafayette
2017 Sen. Ron Grooms, Jeffersonville, IN
2018 Jolene Bracale, Indianapolis, IN
2019 Tom Sullivan, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
2020 Sen. Jean Leising, Oldenburg, Indiana District 42
2022 Timothy Fischer, President & CEO, Vision First Indiana Lions Eye Bank