The Ambrose M. Shotwell Memorial Award was established to honor an individual who has made significant outstanding contributions to the personal adjustment or rehabilitation of adults who are blind or visually impaired. These leadership contributions have had an impact on a national or international level through their direct effect on people with visual impairments through the insight or inspiration that they provided to rehabilitation personnel in other states or nations.
Submit a Nomination for the AER 2026 Awards
Past Winners
In recognition of outstanding contributions to the rehabilitation of adults who are blind or visually impaired.
| 2024 | Gala Saber Brooks |
| 2022 | Dr. Pris Rogers |
| 2020 | Rodney J. Kossick |
| 2018 | Carl R. Augusto |
| 2016 | Gale Watson |
| 2014 | Karen E. Wolffe |
| 2012 | Chuck Huss |
| 2010 | Michael Bina |
| Special Recognition | Steven Barrett |
| 2008 | Kathleen Mary Huebner |
| 2006 | Kenneth Rosenthal |
| 2004 | William Wiener |
| 2002 | Dr. Euclid J. Herie |
| 2000 | William Ferrell |
| 1998 | Stanley Suterko |
| 1996 | Richard Welsh |
| 1994 | Russell C. Williams |
| 1992 | William F. Gallagher |
| 1990 | Warren Bledsoe |
| 1988 | Dr. Alfred Rosenbloom |
| 1986 | Irvine Schloss |
| 1984 | Natalie Barraga |
| 1983 | Louis Vieceli |
| 1982 | Harold Richterman |
| 1981 | Donald Blasch |
| 1979 | Ross C. Purse |
| 1977 | Douglas C. MacFarland |
| 1975 | Roy Kumpe |
| 1973 | Robert S. Bray |
| 1971 | Arthur McGill |
| 1969 | Louis J. Rives |
| 1968 | George Werntz |
| 1967 | Jansen Noyes |
| 1966 | Henry A. Wood |
| 1965 | Berthold Lowenfeld |
| 1964 | George Keane |
| 1963 | Judge Sam Cathey |
| 1962 | Lon E. Alsup |
| 1961 | Francis J. Cummings |
| 1960 | Philip Harrison |
| 1959 | Lee S. Johnston |
| 1958 | Francis Iberardi |
| 1957 | J. Robert Atkinson |
| 1956 | Maurice I. Tynan |
| 1955 | Peter J. Salmon |
| 1954 | Stetson K. Ryan |
| 1953 | L. L. Watts |
| 1952 | Col. E. A. Baker |
| 1951 | Helen Keller |
| 1950 | Mary Dranga Campbell |
| 1949 | Joseph Clunk |
| 1948 | Dr. Newell Perry |
| 1947 | Florence Bichard |
| 1945 | Dr. Edward E. Allen |
| 1943 | Cobrun L. Broun |
| 1941 | M. C. Migel |
| 1939 | Charles W. Holmes & H.R. Latimer |