As a sponsoring organization, each year IPAC submits a nomination to the Stephen E. Bemis Memorial Award Selection Committee for consideration. The IPAC Board would like your recommendations for who they should nominate this year.

The Stephen E. Bemis Memorial Award is jointly sponsored by many of the nation’s major assessment and testing associations. The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor an outstanding individual who demonstrates the qualities of Stephen Bemis. Attached are the criteria for the award. Also included in the attachment is a list of past recipients of the award. Last year the award was presented to Rod Freudenberg at the IPAC conference in Las Vegas. This year the award will be presented at the IPAC conference in Columbus, Ohio July 22-24, 2013.

At this point we are not asking for a complete nomination packet. Rather, we are asking you as a member to recommend an individual who demonstrates all three of the following attributes:

1. An accomplished personnel measurement practitioner who is recognized for his/her on-going commitment to the principles of merit and fairness;

2. A professional who has made an impact in the field by his/her practical contributions(s) that have either resulted in an improved or new procedure; and

3. A concerned individual who is recognized for his/her commitment to assisting fellow practitioners, being available to them, and freely calling on them.

For now, the equivalent of a standard page or two describing how the person you recommend for nomination meets the criteria above (specified in more detail in this document) would be sufficient. If selected as the IPAC Nominee for the Bemis Award, a two to four page nomination packet will be prepared and submitted to the Bemis Award Selection Committee during the month of April.

Recommendations for IPAC’s Bemis Award nomination need to be sent to me at joinerda@pacbell.net by Friday, March 29, 2013. I will then submit all recommendations I receive to the IPAC Board for a decision at their board meeting the first week of April.

There are many human resource professionals who are doing great work for our profession and who are emulating the characteristics of Steve Bemis summarized above. I encourage you to give some thought to this and help us identify at least one worthy individual to nominate. The IPAC Nominee does not need to be an IPAC member.

Please review the nomination criteria and if you have any questions, contact me at (916) 967-7795 or via e-mail: joinerda@pacbell.net.

Thank you for your assistance.

Dennis Joiner
IPAC Bemis Award Committee Chair