Awarded to those rendering continuing outstanding service in the interests of press photography and for outstanding technical achievement in photography (established 1948).
J. Winton Lemen was a charter member of the NPPA. In 1952, after a distinguished career as a news photographer at the Rocky Mountain News, Pittsburgh Press and Buffalo Times, Lemen established the photo press markets division of the Eastman Kodak Co. and served as the firm's liaison with the nation's news photographers.
Wint Lemen also organized four Rochester Photo Conferences and established a scholarship in his name at Kent (Ohio) State University. He retired from Kodak in 1970 and died in Rochester, N.Y., on July 25, 1984. He was a recipient of NPPA's Joseph Sprague Award.
2016
DJI Technology
2015
Think Tank Photo
2014
Nick Woodman
2013
Mark Suban
Mike Mount
John D. McHugh (Marksta)
2012
John Harrington
2011
Photoshelter
2010
Greg Anderson
2009
Canon USA
Nikon USA
2008
Rich Beckman
2007
Joe Weiss
2006
William (Sandy) Colton
2005
Mark Bell
2004
Dennis Walker
2003
Brian Storm
2002
Joe Torelli
2001
Al Tompkins
2000
Karl Kuntz
1999
Lon Cooper
1998
Emory Kristoff
Fuji Research Team
1997
John Harcourt
Harold G. Buell
1996
Claude Petrone
Dr. Dick Dickerson
1995
Ken Tiven
Mark Loundy
1994
Dave Metz
Sony Corp.
1993
John Davidson
George Sweers
John Cornell
1992
Paul Curtis
1991
Adobe Systems Inc.
1990
Laslo Vesprimi
1989
Robert Caspe
1988
Charles R. Freestone
J. Scott Henry
1987
Brian Horton
1986
Charles Hulcher
Fred Shook
1985
Robert Gilka
John E. Young
1984
Delmar L. Borer
William Pekala
1983
Anthony J. Spina
1982
Kenneth Paik
1981
James Gordon
Sheila Keyes
Marci Robbins
1980
Roone Arledge
Amelia Ehrenreich
1979
David Bowen
1978
Mike Tatem
1977
Martin Forscher
1976
Edmund M. DiGiulio
1975
Dr. Edward Lowe
1974
Edward R. Farber
James Frezzolini
1973
George A. Shivers
Gordon Yoder
1972
Sam Fox
Harvey A. Weber
1971
John Faber
1970
Walter Heun
1969
Prince Bernhard
Dr. Robert Richter
1968
John W. Ahlhauser
Marshall A. Dussinger
Robert East
1967
Gerald Clarke
Leslie H. Swenson
1966
Bayard F. Lawes
Cal Olson
1965
John Savage
1964
Charles T. Higgins
Don Mohler
1963
J. Winton Lemen
1962
James Bennett
John Reidy
Don Swenson
Les Swenson
1961
George Yates
1960
Joseph Benetti
Morris Berman
James M. Godbold
John Rammel
1958
Charles Cooper
Nelson Tiffany
1957
Irvin Forbes
Monroe B. Stoecker
1956
Howard Hammersley
Lester A. Linck
Arthur L. Witman
1955
Robert Dumke
1954
Robert Boyd
Floyd McCall
Marvin Richmond
1953
A. Aubrey Bodine
Bates Raney
1952
Ollie Atkins
Kenneth McLaughlin
Andy Willoner
1950
John Faber
Samuel Mellor
Paul Threlfall
1949
Joseph Costa
Charles Mack
1948
Burt Williams