Leadership Awards

Leadership Awards

The Association is actively searching for community leaders who have demonstrated outstanding qualities and contributions to planning in Michigan.

These positive contributions to comprehensive community planning may have come in forms including, but not limited to the following:
• Continuing support for and implementation of comprehensive planning programs in the community over a period at least three years.
• Successful implementation of an outstanding project or program which demonstrates the objectives and benefits of comprehensive community planning.
• Successful implementation of a program serving to educate others in the objectives and benefits of comprehensive community planning.

Outstanding Community Administrator’s Award

This award was posthumously established in 1982 in recognition of Edward Potthoff, former MSPO Board of Director member who served as city manager of Saginaw and Cadillac. In honor of the recipient’s award, a letter of recognition will be presented to the community, acknowledging it contributions.

The Outstanding Community Administrator’s Award honors a city, village, township, county or regional community administrator who has made significant, positive contributions to comprehensive community planning in Michigan. Nominations may be submitted for any community administrator such as a mayor, village president, city/township/ village manager, county commission chairperson, county administrator/ controller/coordinator/executive, township supervisor/clerk, or regional council president/chair-person.

Criteria:

Support of Planning. To what extent has the nominee’s career increased the understanding of planning principles and the planning process? How has the nominee shown a clear understanding and support for planning?

Effectiveness/results. To what extent has the nominee been effective in furthering the cause of excellence in planning? Within what sphere of influence has this effectiveness been realized?

Helen S. Willis Outstanding Commissioner Award

This award was established in 1994. It was named in honor of the vast contributions Helen S. Willis had made to MSPO during her 10 years with MSPO as executive director.

The Helen S. Willis Outstanding Commissioner Award honors an individual who advanced or promoted the cause of planning in the public arena. This could include members of planning commissions, boards of zoning appeals, economic development board member, or other appointed board officials. (Persons earning their living as planners and elected officials are not eligible for this award.

Criteria:

Support of Planning. To what extent has the nominee’s time and dedication increased the understanding of planning principles as well as the goals of the organization of what he/she is a part? How has this advocacy role been pursued?

Effectiveness. To what extent has the nominee promoted the cause and advanced the merits of planning? Within what sphere of influence has this effectiveness been realized?


Outstanding Professional Planner

The Outstanding Professional Planner Award honors an individual for a sustained contribution to the profession through distinguished practice, teaching, or writing. (This person must make his/her living in the practice of planning, either in the public or private sector.)

Criteria:

Support of Planning. To what extent has the nominee’s work increased the understanding of planning principles and the planning process?

Effectiveness/Results. To what extent has the nominee been effective in formulating and implementing his/her plans and ideas and, thus, furthered the cause of planning? Within what sphere of influence has this effectiveness been realized?


Submission Requirements:

Entries must include a one-page summary of the submission or one page resume, and the individual’s photograph.
Entries must include a two-page explanation demonstrating how the submission meets each of the criteria.
Three letters of recommendation must accompany entries for the Leadership Awards. These letters should address the noted criteria.

Five collated sets of the application form and all supporting materials must be submitted. The Michigan Association of Planning is not responsible for assembling, collating, or copying submission material. The nominator must sign all application forms. Submissions lacking required signatures may be disqualified. The awards committee’s procedures prohibit any communication with jurors on behalf of an entry. Such communication is reason for disqualification.

Eligibility:

All categories are open to both Michigan Association of Planning members and non-members alike. Nominators must select one category for the submission. Members of the awards committee and Michigan Association of Planning Board of Directors are not eligible to enter or be nominated to receive individual awards. These individuals may not attempt to influence or affect the outcome of the jury process for projects nominated in other awards categories.

Previous recipients of Leadership Awards will not be considered for the same award more than once.

Judging and Awards Ceremony:

The Michigan Association of Planning Board of Directors are not involved in the selection process and are not aware of the entries submitted for consideration until after the jury has rendered its decision. Judging for leadership categories will take place instate. Jurors are under no obligation to grant an award in any category. Nominators of submissions will be notified confidentially by mail. Official announcements of the winning submissions will be made after all decisions have been made.