The MGS Awards Committee invites nominations for MGS service and achievement awards that will be presented at the North Star Awards Banquet on the evening of Friday, October 9.

Service Awards. MGS members are eligible for three awards recognizing volunteer service to MGS.

The Pat and Dorothy Chandler Award for exceptional and prolonged service to MGS.
The Unsung Hero Award for behind-the-scenes work that contributes to the efficient management and operation of MGS.
The Founders Award for visionary organizational leadership that sustains MGS and advances its mission.

Achievement Awards. Both MGS members and members of the broader Minnesota genealogy community – including MGS branches and partners – are eligible for three awards for genealogical achievement.

The Minnesota North Star Award for outstanding contributions to genealogical writing, research, or education.
The Minnesota Genealogy Pioneer Award for contributions to the development of Minnesota resources for genealogy and family history research.
The Minnesota Genealogy Ambassador Award for representing Minnesota on the national genealogy scene and bringing honor to Minnesota genealogy.

Making a nomination is easy. Using the online form, simply write a few sentences telling the Committee why your nominee should be honored. If you have trouble with the form, just send an email to the Awards Committee (awards@mngs.org).

Anyone – both MGS members and non-members – may submit nominations. Nominations are due August 31.

Past Award Recipients

The Minnesota Genealogical Society has a variety of annual awards for the purpose of recognizing the efforts of our volunteers in six categories. Recipients of the first three must be members of the Society. Other awards are open to any qualifying individual. Nominations are collected starting in mid-Summer. The Winners are presented with their awards at the annual North Star Conference in the Fall.

Pat and Dorothy Chandler Award

for exceptional and prolonged service to MGS

Unsung Hero Award

for behind-the-scenes work that contributes to the efficient management and operation of MGS

Founders Award

for visionary organizational leadership that sustains MGS and advances its mission

Minnesota Genealogy Pioneer Award

for contributions to the development of Minnesota resources for genealogy and family history research

Minnesota Genealogy North Star Award

for outstanding contributions to genealogical writing, research or education

Minnesota Genealogy Ambassador Award

for representing Minnesota on the national genealogy scene and bringing honor to Minnesota genealogy

	Chandler Award	Unsung Hero Award	Founders Award	Pioneer Award	North Star Award	Ambassador Award
2008	Kathy Lund	Gerald Maher	Robin Panlener	Mary Bakeman	Darlene Joyce	Paula Stuart-Warren
2009	Dixie Hansen	Jim Robasse	John Schade	Kathryn Otto	Tom Rice	Harold Hinds, Jr
2010	Margie Deutsch	MGS Technology Committee	Erv Chorn	John & Jan Dalby	Cathi Weber	Alice Eichholz
2011	Beth Mullinax	Sandy Stadtherr	Mary Wickersham	Jennifer de Fiebre	Lois Mackin	J. H. Fonkert
2012	Sheila Northrop	Valerie Morrison	Terry Kita	Debra Richardson	J. H. Fonkert	Paula Stuart-Warren
2013	Bergetta Monroe	Rick Rusinak	Lois Mackin	Duane Swanson	Sue Kratsch	Jennifer de Fiebre
2014	Arlene Fenning	Bob Rowe	Jere Mackin	JoEllen Haugo	Rosemary Ruffenach	Linda Coffin
2015	Sandy Stadtherr	Jack Bergerson	David Inman		Susan Hunter Weir	Jim Neuenfeldt Kent Cutkomp Kim Ashford
2016	John Schade	Frances Hillier		Alfred Dahlquist	Ann Eccles	Sandy Thalman
2017	Bob Rowe	Barb Fonkert	J. H. Fonkert	Paula Stuart-Warren	Elizabeth Gomoll	Kim Ashford Kent Cutkomp
2018	Melva Cain	Bert Jones	Linda Westrom	Frederick L Johnson	Vicki Young Albu	Valerie Eichler Lair
2019	Kristie Strum	Walker MacBeath	Winnie Fernstrom	Karen Finne	Heather Mullen	Joanne Sher