NACUFS Bestows Top Honors During Virtual Awards Ceremony

The National Association of College and University Food Service (NACUFS) honored individuals and member institutions during a virtual awards ceremony on Nov. 18. Here’s a look at the awards and this year’s grand prize winners.

Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service Award

This award is the highest honor NACUFS bestows upon an individual in recognition of their contributions to NACUFS and the foodservice industry.

The grand prize winner was Zia Ahmed, senior director of dining services at The Ohio State University.

David R. Prentkowski Distinguished Lifetime Member Award

The David R. Prentkowski Distinguished Lifetime Member Award honors an individual who has retired from a college and university foodservice leadership position or other position that supported the betterment of college and university foodservices.

The grand prize winner was Terri Moreman, former director of food and nutritional services at United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Richard Lichtenfelt Awards

The Richard Lichtenfelt Award honors individuals who have provided outstanding contributions to NACUFS at the national level.

The 2021 recipients were:

Kimberle Badinelli, business advisor and consultant at Hospitality Systems

Steve Mangan, senior director of Michigan dining at University of Michigan

Patti Klos, director of dining and business services at Tufts University

Daryl Van Hook Industry Award

The Daryl Van Hook Industry Award honors an industry member who has provided educational support, product innovation and outstanding service to the association.

The grand prize winner was Barbara Kane, former AVP of industry relations at Ecolab.

Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards

The Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards, named after a NACUFS founder, past president and highly regarded innovator, celebrates members’ innovative ideas and implementation of programs.

The grand prize winners were:

Residential Dining Concepts: University of Ottawa

Residential Dining Facility: Michigan State University

Residential Dining—Special Event: Virginia Tech

Retail Sales: Washington University in St. Louis

Catering—Special Event: Boston College

Catering—Online Menu: California Polytechnic State University

NACUFS Sustainability Award

The Sustainability Award recognizes leadership in promoting and implementing environmental sustainability as it relates to collegiate dining operations. The awards celebrate the role dining services have in the overall environmental sustainability and social responsibility goals of a campus.

The grand prize winner was the University of Oregon.