The ACCT Awards program was established to acknowledge and celebrate outstanding individual and organizational contributions within the Association for Challenge Course Technology community. We aim to recognize the dedication, innovation, and excellence demonstrated by members, and others, who go above and beyond to advance the mission and vision of ACCT.
By honoring individuals and organizations for their significant achievements and contributions, our awards program underscores the importance of recognizing excellence and fostering a culture of appreciation within our community. Each award serves as a testament to the remarkable efforts and impact of our members.
Through the ACCT Awards program, we not only celebrate successes but also inspire others to strive for excellence and make meaningful contributions to our communities. We believe that by recognizing and celebrating outstanding achievements, we can strengthen our community, foster collaboration, and propel the industry forward.
The ACCT awards play a crucial role in recognizing and celebrating the contributions of individuals (and organizations) within the ACCT community, offering several benefits:
Impact: Receiving an ACCT award is a testament to significant contributions to the organization and the broader community by an individual or organization. It acknowledges their dedication, leadership, and innovation in advancing the mission and goals of ACCT. This recognition not only boosts the recipient's morale and motivation but also inspires others to strive for excellence in their own contributions.
Recognition: The importance of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of individuals within the ACCT community cannot be overstated. ACCT awards provide a platform to publicly acknowledge the hard work, talent, and commitment of volunteers, members, and leaders who have made a tangible difference. This recognition fosters a culture of appreciation and gratitude within the organization, reinforcing a sense of belonging and value among members.
Networking: ACCT awards offer recipients valuable opportunities to network and engage with other members of the organization. Whether it's at award ceremonies, social events, or conferences, recipients have the chance to connect with peers, industry professionals, and leaders in the field. This networking opens doors to collaboration, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing, ultimately strengthening the bonds within the ACCT community and facilitating professional growth and development.
Overall, ACCT awards serve as a powerful tool for acknowledging excellence, fostering a culture of appreciation, and building connections within the organization. By celebrating the achievements of individuals (and organizations), these awards contribute to the overall success and vibrancy of the ACCT community.
We encourage all members of the ACCT community to nominate deserving individuals and organizations for ACCT awards when nomination periods open each year. Your nominations help us recognize and celebrate the outstanding contributions of those who go above and beyond to support our mission and goals. By taking the time to nominate someone, you play a vital role in honoring their dedication and impact within our community.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all past and future award recipients for their dedication and contributions to the ACCT community. Your hard work, passion, and commitment make a significant difference in advancing our mission and goals. Thank you for everything you do to support our organization and enrich the lives of our members.
Click each tab below to read information for each award:
Community Service Award
Description: The Community Service Award was established in 2016 by ACCT Staff to honor members of the ACCT community who consistently exceed expectations in assisting ACCT Staff and whose volunteer contributions have made a significant impact on the organization. These awards recognize the invaluable support provided by volunteers and aim to express gratitude. Each year, the association staff carefully select and recognize deserving volunteers for their outstanding service. These volunteers are identified based on their exceptional contributions, which are deemed valuable and impactful by the ACCT staff members. The Community Service Award acknowledges the diverse ways in which volunteers contribute to the organization's mission and objectives. Whether through standards development, event support, or other forms of volunteerism, recipients of this award exemplify the spirit of service and generosity within the ACCT community. Since its inception, the Community Service Award has served as a meaningful way to honor volunteers who selflessly give their time and expertise to support ACCT initiatives. These individuals play a vital role in the organization's success and help foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration among members. Through the Community Service Award, ACCT Staff express appreciation for the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, which we hope encourages continued engagement and involvement within the organization.
Criteria/Selection Process: Staff members propose potential candidates for consideration. There is no set limit to the number of annual nominations. Every staff member is granted the chance to nominate individuals who have substantially contributed to their work. A recipient is eligible to receive this acknowledgment multiple times.
Past Recipients:
Year
Recipient
Location
2016
Mandy Stewart Leigh Carruth Wayne Berger Tony Draus Mark Taber-Miller Robb Krug Kathy Haras Colin Caines Jeffrey Chua Yen Kai Lye Terence Low
Cedar Creek, TX
2017
Brian Lisson Kathy Haras Keith Jacobs Don Stock GTW Associates
Savannah, GA
2018
Rich Klajnscek Victor Gallo Pavel Gaitan Jose Gonzalez Luis Acevedo Alexis Webb-Bechtold John Voegtlin
Fort Worth, TX
2019
Carson Rivers Wayne Berger
Denver, CO
2020
Tim Prairie Victor Gallo Diego Alvarez Luis Acevedo
Raleigh, NC
2021
Andy Brash Korey Hampton
Conference Work Group Members: Alexis Bechtold-Webb, Mike Dill, Elizabeth Anderson, Satpal Sagoo, Carina Surface, Leigh Carruth, Mistie Ibarra, Jessica Brown, Robb Armstrong, Jason Rose, Tyler Quackenbush
Virtual Conference
2022
Leslie Sohl Kathy Haras Alicia Bourke Ross Ogle Matt Marcus
Cleveland, OH
2023
Niels Damman Micah Henderson Alicia Bourke
Portland, OR
2024
Ruthie Rivers Matt Marcus Carina Surface Lori Stover Dick Hammond Kyle Hansen
Oklahoma City, OK
Recognition: The recipients of the Community Service Award are honored and celebrated at the annual conference hosted by ACCT each year.
Critical Link Award
Description: The Critical Link Award was inaugurated in 2002 by the Accredited Vendors. It is presented each year at the annual conference as a thoughtful and sincere thank you to a single ACCT member who has gone significantly “above and beyond '' over a long period of time. It serves as a testament to their dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to the ACCT community. Their tireless efforts, leadership, and commitment to the organization have helped shape its trajectory and fostered its continued success. This award is considered the ultimate recognition that a member of ACCT can receive.
Criteria/Nomination Process: Each fall accredited vendors are invited to submit nominations. Nominations are received by the executive director and processed by the Critical Link Award Committee, a body made up of past recipients of the award.
Selection Process: The committee is presented with the list of nominees and uses Ranked Choice Voting to determine each year's winner.
Past Recipients:
Year
Recipient
Location
2016
Michelle Ligget
Albuquerque, NM
2002
Randy Smith
Nashville, TN
2003
Tim Kempfe
Portland, OR
2004
Cindy Walker
Charleston, SC
2005
Bob Ryan
Indianapolis, IN
2006
Jeff Boeke
Denver, CO
2007
Andrew Hubert
Boston, MA
2008
Rich Klajnscek
Portland, OR
2009
John Lazarus
Houston, TX
2010
Dan Pervorse
Atlanta, GA
2011
Tom Leahy
Minneapolis, MN
2012
Bill Weaver
Boston, MA
2013
Ken Jacquot
Las Vegas, NV
2014
Sarah Oosterhuis
Orlando, FL
2015
Keith Jacobs
Indian Wells, CA
2016
Jim Wall
Cedar Creek, TX
2017
Jennifer Marter & Erik Marter
Savannah, GA
2018
Josh Tod
Fort Worth, TX
2019
Michelle Hepler
Denver, CO
2020
Micah Henderson
Raleigh, NC
2021
Brian Lisson
Virtual
2022
Kathy Haras
Portland, OR
2023
Brenda Reed
Cleveland, OH
2024
Leigh Carruth
Oklahoma City, OK
Recognition: Critical Link Award recipients are honored and celebrated during the annual conference hosted by ACCT each year.
Volunteer of the Year
Description: The Volunteer of the Year Award is a prestigious honor within the ACCT community, recognizing exceptional individuals who have demonstrated outstanding commitment, dedication, and leadership in their service to the association. Established in 2024, this award celebrates volunteers who have made a significant and lasting impact on ACCT's mission and goals, embodying the values of integrity, innovation, and inclusivity. Recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Award exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and make invaluable contributions to ACCT's success. Their dedication, leadership, and passion inspire others to engage actively in advancing the association's mission and vision.
Criteria: Nominees for the Volunteer of the Year Award are chosen based on a set of criteria that reflect their exemplary contributions to ACCT and its community. These criteria include:
Commitment and Dedication: Nominees must exhibit consistent efforts, contribute significant hours, or demonstrate a long-standing commitment to ACCT's mission and goals.
Impact: Nominees must have made measurable and significant contributions to ACCT's activities, such as leading successful projects, organizing events, or enhancing programs.
Leadership and Teamwork: Nominees should demonstrate effective collaboration with fellow volunteers, serve as positive role models, and inspire others to actively participate in ACCT initiatives.
Innovation: Nominees should have introduced innovative ideas or methods that have improved ACCT's operations, programs, or services.
Ethical Conduct: Nominees are expected to uphold high standards of ethical conduct, showing respect, integrity, and professionalism in all interactions within the association and the industry.
Positive Influence: Nominees should possess the ability to motivate others, resolve conflicts constructively, and foster a sense of community and belonging within ACCT.
Support of Diversity and Inclusion: Nominees should actively promote and support diversity and inclusion initiatives within ACCT and the broader communities it serves.
Nomination/Selection Process: Nominations for the Volunteer of the Year Award are submitted by volunteer member peers who wish to recognize individuals within the ACCT community who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, dedication, and leadership. Volunteers are invited to nominate other volunteers who they believe have made significant contributions to ACCT's mission and goals, embodying the values of integrity, innovation, and inclusivity. The nomination process involves completing an online nomination form provided by ACCT, where volunteers can outline the nominee's qualifications and provide examples of their outstanding service and impact within the association. Nominations may include details about the nominee's contributions, leadership roles, innovative initiatives, and support for diversity and inclusion efforts. This selection process helps ensure that the award is bestowed upon an individual who truly embodies the spirit of volunteerism and has made a lasting difference within the association. By involving peers in the nomination process and entrusting the selection to ACCT Leadership (ACCT Chairs, Board of Directors, and Board Emeritus Members), ACCT ensures that the Volunteer of the Year Award recipient is a deserving individual who has earned the admiration and respect of their peers for their outstanding service and dedication.
Past Recipients:
Year
Recipient
Location
2024
Korey Hampton
Oklahoma City, OK
Recognition: The recipient is honored and celebrated for their outstanding volunteer contributions at the annual conference hosted by ACCT each year.
Nomination Form will be communicated to Volunteers from this year soon.
Innovator of the Year
Description: The ACCT Innovator of the Year Award recognizes a person (or group of people), organization, or company that has demonstrated exceptional creativity and advancement of an aspect of our industry. This is not a mere next iteration of what has come before, but a big leap forward.
Awardees are trailblazers who, through their innovative ideas and strategies, have significantly advanced our industry. While our industry is relatively young, it was built on the backs of individuals, organizations, and companies that pushed it forward and created something new. This award promotes the continued creation of those new programs, tools, models, systems, services, or products that have direct benefit to the people that we all serve. The outcomes of the innovation are primarily to the benefit of others and our industry. While the innovations may certainly have a commercial value, items that result primarily in financial gain for the creator are not considered.
Examples of things that might qualify for such altruistic intent could include, but are not limited to, a helmet design for large hair styles, a new harness formatted for people with physical disabilities, an event that generates widespread and positive change, or perhaps, a program that provides a dramatic increase in inclusion.
This prestigious award is not constrained by annual traditions but is bestowed upon those rare leaps forward that demonstrate remarkable innovation and leadership, akin to pioneering new paths in our industry.This award could be given yearly, but is more likely to be sporadic.
Criteria: Consider the following exceptional contributions when nominating a candidate:
Innovation and Strategy: The nominee should have introduced innovative ideas or strategies, significantly contributing to the industry’s advancement
Significant Impact: Look for candidates who have made a measurable and substantial impact on ACCT and the industry at large, such as leading pivotal projects or initiatives that have steered the ACCT or the industry toward big leaps of advancement.
Ethical Conduct and Integrity: Nominees must demonstrate high ethical standards in all their professional dealings within ACCT and those in our industry.
Altruistic in Nature: While the innovation may have a commercial value and be sold, items that exist primarily for the financial gain for the creator are not considered.
Nomination Process /Selection Process: Any member of our association is welcome to nominate a person (or group of people), organization, or company who exemplifies these innovative qualities in the fall of each year via a form on the ACCT website. The nominee does NOT need to be a member of the ACCT. While nominations will be accepted each year, the award may not be given each year due to the rare qualities needed by the circumstances.
Nominations will be reviewed by the ACCT Awards Workgroup along with an awards selection task force who will determine if the work of nominees has risen to the level of the Innovator of the Year Award. This committee will evaluate each submission based on the established criteria and the overall impact of the nominees on ACCT and the industry at large.
This award may not have a winner each year even when nominations are submitted.
Past Recipients: List will be posted after 2025
Recognition: The Innovator of the Year Award recipient will be celebrated at the next upcoming ACCT conference. The announcement will be made at the main Awards ceremony, where the recipient's significant contributions and achievements will be highlighted. The recipient of this award will be notified in advance so that we can appropriately honor them.
Nomination Form Coming Soon
Mover of Mountains
Description:Throughout the year, countless members of our association contribute their expertise, passion, and hard work in various roles, including committee participation, task force leadership, board memberships, and special project involvement. These individuals are the backbone of our industry. There are times that individuals go above and beyond the hard work of volunteer work pushing us forward during challenging times. To honor these exceptional efforts, we introduce the Mover Of Mountains Award. This prestigious award is not constrained by annual traditions; but bestowed upon those rare individuals who demonstrate remarkable perseverance and leadership, akin to pushing a boulder uphill. Their efforts keep ACCT moving forward, or perhaps just afloat, during its most tumultuous periods.
Criteria: Any member of our association is welcome to nominate a colleague who exemplifies these monumental qualities in the fall of each year via a form on the ACCT website. While nominations are accepted each year, the award may not be given each year due to the rare qualities needed by the circumstances.
Nomination Process / Selection Process: To qualify for the Mover Of Mountains Award, a candidate must:Have been actively involved in significant roles within the association, contributing to its advancement, especially during challenging times., be a current member of ACCT, and Not have previously received the Mover Of Mountains Award. Consider the following exceptional contributions when nominating a candidate:
Resilience and Leadership: The nominee should have displayed extraordinary leadership and resilience, holding ACCT (or some part of it) together and advancing it during challenging times.
Significant Impact: Look for candidates who have made a measurable and substantial impact on ACCT, such as leading pivotal projects or initiatives that have steered the ACCT or the industry through critical periods.
Innovation and Strategy:Acknowledge those who have introduced innovative ideas or strategies, significantly contributing to the industry’s advancement and adaptation during tough times.
Ethical Conduct and Integrity: Nominees must demonstrate high ethical standards in all their professional dealings within ACCT.
Inspirational Influence: Consider candidates who have positively in Submission will be accepted via the ACCT website each fall.
Past Recipients: List will be posted after 2025
Recognition: The recipients of the Mover of Mountain’s Award are honored and celebrated at the annual conference hosted by ACCT each year.
