Award of Merit
The Award of Merit, created in 1996, is given out by the Imperial Potentate to three to five Shriners who have made an outstanding and lasting impact on Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals for Children. The awards are presented at Imperial Session to the unsuspecting recipients, who are not notified in advance that they are being honored. Winners are presented with a pin and a cherry wood shadowbox with the Award of Merit medallion hung on a red, green and yellow ribbon. The inscription on the plaque reads:
“The Imperial Potentate’s Award of Merit is awarded for an individual’s outstanding achievements and selfless and extraordinary contributions to the heritage, culture or mission of Shriners International or Freemasonry; to the mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children; or for the good of his local community in a manner that reflects positively on Freemasonry and Shriners International.”
Award of Merit Recipients
William V. “Bill” King – Habibi – 2023
Gregory “Snake” McEwen – Karem – 2023
Ronald C. “Ron” Mitchum – Jamil – 2023
Costas Paraskevaides – Emirat – 2023
Jerry B. Oliver – Zuhrah – 2022
Richard J. Elman – Orak – 2022
Donald Leo Thomson – Khartum – 2021
Larry Tipton – Al Bedoo – 2021
H. Ron Baas – Shaddai – 2021
Larry L. Chapel – Mizpah – 2021
Pat Roberts – Naja – 2020
Ronald L. Capps – Midian – 2020
Mike Clevenger – Aladdin – 2020
Gardner D. Burton – Scimitar – 2020
Wayne J. and Janet Lachut – Ismailia – 2020
George A. Mitchell – Rameses – 2019
John S. Pennington Sr. – Zelzah – 2019
Gale B. Robinson – Al Menah – 2019
Philip Thomas – Melha – 2019
Peter P. Diaz, MD – Bahia – 2018
Gordon “Stumpy” Harris – Bahia – 2018
Robert O. Kuehn – Medinah – 2018
John Piland – Ansar – 2018
David Ragan – Oasis – 2018
Rodney C. Hall “Outlaw Willie” – El Zaribah – 2017
Jon A. Hanson – Zuhrah – 2017
John A. Massey – Egypt – 2017
Ted D. Hennis, Khiva – 2016
Ted H. Jacobsen – Mecca – 2016
Bobby B. Simmons – Al Sihah – 2016
Arthur J. Kerr – Abou Saad – 2015
Anton E. “Tony” Koss – Melha – 2015
Nick Thomas, P.I.P. – Al Malaikah – 2015
Giorgio Ferrario – Emirat – 2014
Ralph K. Jubb, III Al Kader – 2014
Richard J. Kagan, MD, FACS – Syrian 2014
Frank John Roth – Medinah – 2014
Michael C. Andrews – Egypt – 2013
Gene Bracewell – Yaarab – 2013
Harold K. “Bud” Irving – Khartum – 2013
John S. Miller, Jr. – Oasis – 2013
R. Thomas Peters, Jr. – Ahmed – 2013
Robert J. Turley – Oleika – 2012
Jay R. Wilson – Medinah – 2012
Mahlon W. Hessey – Boumi – 2012
Richard Lynn – Mahi – 2011
Richard Stokes – Rameses – 2011
Ernest Pearlstein – Aleppo – 2011
Barry McQuillin – Rameses – 2011
Lawrence Winkle – Hella – 2011
John Epps – Scimitar – 2010
Bruce Steube III – Sahib – 2010
Rev. David Kinsey – Syria – 2010
W. Warren Upton – Beni Kedem – 2009
Al “Bear” Robinson – Sahib – 2009
G. Sam Montgomery – Abou Ben Adhem – 2009
Pete Goltra – Akdar – 2008
Bruce Hogle – Al Shamal – 2008
Bob Burr – Al Kaly – 2008
Bill Selsam – Aladdin – 2007
Howard McHenry – Ararat – 2007
Bill Hooper – Egypt – 2007
Jack H. Jones – Egypt – 2006
Harvey Waugh – Aleppo – 2006
Ted Corsones – Cairo – 2006
R.S. “Stu” Lang – Egypt – 2005
Phil Johnson – Al Bahr – 2005
William Bailey – Orak – 2005
David Herndon – El Mina – 2005
James McConnell – Kem – 2005
Tom Rousseau – El Katif – 2004
Jack Denton – Abdallah – 2004
Fred Imler – Jaffa – 2004
Robert Henderson – Al Chymia – 2003
Carl Linder – Syrian – 2003
Robert Mueller – Tripoli – 2003
Crain Houston – Khartum – 2003
Judge Charles Wofford – Yaarab – 2002
Elmer George – Aahmes – 2002
Leonard Potechin – Tunis – 2002
Theodore Thomas – Gizeh – 2002
Edward Puff – Antioch – 2001
Walter Pettit – Rajah – 2001
Judge John Walter – Rajah – 2001
Senator Trent Lott – Joppa – 2000
Senator Conrad Burns – Al Bedoo – 2000
Charles G. Cumpstone – Medinah – 2000
Lewis K. Molnar – Medinah – 2000
Doug Mayes – Oasis – 1999
Ernest Borgnine – Al Malaikah – 1999
James Hendrix – Hella 1999
President Gerald Ford – Saladin – 1999
Bill Latimer – Syria – 1997
Buddy Pettey – Zamora – 1997
Lee Aslanian – Islam – 1997
Red Skelton – Al Malaikah – 1997
Felix Vicuna – Aloha – 1997
Dave Thomas – Aladdin – 1996