The Alfred Allen Award was established by AAWB, one of AER’s two predecessor organizations, to honor professionals who have spent their careers in direct service to individuals with visual impairments.
Submit a Nomination for the AER 2026 Awards
Past Winners
In recognition of a career in providing direct service to people with visual impairments.
| 2024 | Cathleen McGuire |
| 2022 | Jennifer Coy |
| 2020 | Frances Kelley |
| 2018 | Margaret Cleary |
| 2016 | Linda Lyle |
| 2014 | Ed Mullen |
| 2012 | Patricia Leader |
| 2008 | Charla Rose Houston |
| 2006 | Jim Allan |
| 2004 | Eugene A. Bourquin |
| 2002 | B. J. LeJeune |
| 2000 | Donna Iszler |
| 1998 | Judy Hurst |
| 1996 | David Loux |
| 1994 | Juliet Bindt Esterly |
| 1992 | Cay Holbrook |
| 1990 | Robert Brasher |
| 1988 | David Manzer |
| 1986 | Nancy Akeson |
| 1984 | Lowell Legge |
| 1983 | Stanley Suterko |
| 1982 | Lila Lampkin |
| 1981 | Louise Cowan |
| 1979 | John Linville |
| 1975 | C. Warren Bledsoe |
| 1973 | J. Kenneth Cozier |
| 1971 | O. F. Wise |
| 1969 | Sidney E. Pollack |
| 1968 | Elizabeth Rusk |
| 1967 | Jenny Beck |
| 1966 | Howard Liechty |
| 1965 | Sophy Forward |
| 1964 | Howard T. Jones |
| 1963 | Victoria Hackett |
| 1962 | Annie B. Johnson |
| 1961 | Mary Helen Erker |
| 1960 | Eleanor M. Ingram |
| 1958 | Marian Held |
The Alfred Allen Award was established by AAWB, one of AER’s two predecessor organizations, to honor professionals who have spent their careers in direct service to individuals with visual impairments.
Submit a Nomination for the AER 2026 Awards
Past Winners
In recognition of a career in providing direct service to people with visual impairments.
| 2024 | Cathleen McGuire |
| 2022 | Jennifer Coy |
| 2020 | Frances Kelley |
| 2018 | Margaret Cleary |
| 2016 | Linda Lyle |
| 2014 | Ed Mullen |
| 2012 | Patricia Leader |
| 2008 | Charla Rose Houston |
| 2006 | Jim Allan |
| 2004 | Eugene A. Bourquin |
| 2002 | B. J. LeJeune |
| 2000 | Donna Iszler |
| 1998 | Judy Hurst |
| 1996 | David Loux |
| 1994 | Juliet Bindt Esterly |
| 1992 | Cay Holbrook |
| 1990 | Robert Brasher |
| 1988 | David Manzer |
| 1986 | Nancy Akeson |
| 1984 | Lowell Legge |
| 1983 | Stanley Suterko |
| 1982 | Lila Lampkin |
| 1981 | Louise Cowan |
| 1979 | John Linville |
| 1975 | C. Warren Bledsoe |
| 1973 | J. Kenneth Cozier |
| 1971 | O. F. Wise |
| 1969 | Sidney E. Pollack |
| 1968 | Elizabeth Rusk |
| 1967 | Jenny Beck |
| 1966 | Howard Liechty |
| 1965 | Sophy Forward |
| 1964 | Howard T. Jones |
| 1963 | Victoria Hackett |
| 1962 | Annie B. Johnson |
| 1961 | Mary Helen Erker |
| 1960 | Eleanor M. Ingram |
| 1958 | Marian Held |