Distinguished Leader Awards

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Distinguished Leader Awards

The 2024 honorees are: Doug Mah, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County, and Dr. Angela Bowen (posthumously)!

The event recognizes leaders who demonstrate outstanding initiative, inspire others and make a significant impact in our community and beyond. Our honorees this year all exhibit unique, and impactful leadership styles that go beyond their organizations and shine through their community support and involvement.  Honorees will be recognized through live and multi-media presentations.

The 22nd annual Distinguished Leaders Awards celebration took place on Wednesday, March 13th, at the Saint Martin's Norman Worthington Center. 

     Presenting Partner: TwinStar Credit Union

     Media Partner: Umpqua Bank

    Initiative Partners: Evergreen State College, Intercity Transit, & Kiley Juergens Wealth Management, LLC

   Community Partners: City of Olympia, Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess, Fairchild Record Search, &  Hands On Children's Museum

Past Honorees

Click the accordion below to see a list of our past Distinguished Leader Award honorees!

2002 Ken F. Parsons, Sr.
The Rants Group
2003 Joe Williams
City of Lacey
2004 Kristen West & Sherri McDonald
Denny Heck
2005 Dr. David Spangler
Jan Putnam
2006 Jeff Rounce
Community Youth Services
2007 Cathy Wolfe
Bruce Reeves
Washington Women's Foundation
2008 Jack Kiley
Tri M. Vo
PATH
2009 Jeff Kingsbury
Capitol Land Trust
Judge Richard A. Strophy
2010 Capitol City Press
Mud Bay, Inc.
Steve Boone
2011 Chairman David Burnett: Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Grays Harbor Paper
New Market Skills Center
2012 Michael Cade
Rotary Club of Olympia
2013 Patty Belmonte
Virgil Clarkson
Gerald Pumphrey
2014 Brian Vance
Raj Manhas
Senator Karen Fraser
2015 Dr. Roy Heynderickx
Brian Fluetsch
Eileen McKenzieSullivan
2016 Tanya Jernigan
Dan O'Neill
Robert Coit
2017 John Setterstrom
Lori Drummond
Steve Brooks
2018 Taylor Shellfish Farms
Abbott Neal Roth, O.S.B.
Olowo-n'djo Tchala met Prairie Rose Hyde
2019 Cheryl Fambles
Drew Phillips
Meghan Sullivan & Meagan Darrow
 2020 John Doan, City of Tumwater
SCJ Alliance
Retired Supreme Court Justice Gerry Alexander
2021 Community Leadership Awards
2022 Dr. A Barbara Clarkson
Dancing Goats Coffee
Former Secretary of State Ralph Munro
2023 Kelly Wilson
Nisqually Indian Tribe
Dr. Timothy Stokes

Register To Attend

Registration for the 2024 Distinguished Leader Awards is closed.  Check back for info about the 2025 event.

Past honorees video links gallery

Watch past honorees over the years below! Click on an honoree to view their video.