RICHARD M. ARONSON SPECIAL SERVICES AWARD
Richard M. Aronson Special Service Award Chairman – Steve Posner
The first Special Service Award was presented in 1967 by Special Service Award Chairman, Lyle Welser. Nominees for this award are presented to the chairman of the committee who then presents the nominees to the membership for approval. The award is for a person the membership feels has contributed significantly to the C.G.A. and is also designed to be given to the retiring C.G.A. President and for outstanding service to the coaches' association. Winners are recognized at the annual spring banquet meeting.
PAST RECIPIENTS
| YEAR | RECIPIENT | ROLE | SCHOOL |
| 1967 | Chet Phillips | First President, Founder | U.S. Naval Academy |
| 1968 | Charles Pond | President | Univ. of Illinois |
| Lyle Welser | President | Georgia Inst. of Tech. | |
| Charles Keeney | President | U. of Calif.-Berkeley | |
| Tom Maloney | President | U. S. Military Academy | |
| George Szypula | President | Michigan St. Univ. | |
| Newt Loken | President | Univ. of Michigan | |
| Hal Frey | President | U. of Calif.-Berkeley | |
| Gene Wettstone | President | Penn State Univ. | |
| Bill Meade | President | S. Ill. Univ. | |
| Jacob Geier | President | Univ. of Nebraska | |
| Hubie Dunn | President | N. Ill. Univ. | |
| 1969 | Carl Patterson | President | Temple University |
| Otto Ryser | President | Indiana St. Univ. | |
| Hartley Price | Chairman Awards Comm. | Florida St. Univ. | |
| Glenn Sundby | Publications | Modern Gymnast Magazine | |
| Jerry Wright | National Statistics | S.F. State College | |
| 1970 | Frank Wolcott | President | Springfield College |
| 1971 | Frank Bare | Executive Dir. U.S.G.F. | U.S.G.F. Arizona |
| 1972 | Eric Hughes | President | Univ. of Washington |
| 1973 | Karl Schwenzfeier | President | U.S. Air Force Academy |
| 1974 | Don Robinson | President | Arizona State Univ. |
| 1975 | Art Aldritt | 3 term Sec./Treas. | UC-Santa Barbara |
| 1976 | Jerry Wright | National Statistics | S.F. State University (2nd Citation) |
| 1977 | Art Aldritt | President (2nd Citation) | UC-Santa Barbara |
| Hartley Price | Chairman Awards Comm. | Florida State U. (2nd Citation) | |
| George Szypula | Chairman-Hall of Fame | Michigan State Univ. (2nd Citation) | |
| Karl Schwenzfeier | Chairman-All Amer. | U.S.A.F Academy Awards (2nd Citation) | |
| Glenn Sundby | Publications | International Gymnast (2nd Citation) | |
| 1978 | Lyle Welser | Chairman Service Awards | Georgia Inst. Tech. (2nd Citation) |
| 1979 | Bob Peavy | President | Washington St. Univ. |
| Tom Hanvey | Lifetime of Service | David Lipscomp College | |
| 1980 | Abie Grossfeld | Rep. to U.S.G.F. | So. CT. State College |
| Gene Wettstone | Lifetime of Service | Penn State University (2nd Citation) | |
| 1981 | Ed Gagnier | President | Iowa State University |
| Bill Meade | Rep. to USGF(2nd Citation) | So. Ill. Univ. | |
| Frank Wolcott | Awards Chairman | Springfield College (2nd Citation) | |
| Hubie Dunn | Lifetime of Service | Northern Ill. Univ. (2nd Citation) | |
| 1982 | George Nissen | Lifetime of Service | Nissen Equipment |
| Hutch Dvorak | President | Houston Baptist Univ. | |
| Richard Aronson | Lifetime of Service | Univ. of Lowell | |
| 1983 | Bob Fenner | Lifetime of Service | Gym Master Equipment |
| 1984 | Randy Carruthers | Chair All-Amer. Awards | Portland St. U. |
| Fred Turoff | President | Temple University | |
| 1985 | Bill Roetzheim | Lifetime of Service | U. of Ill-Chicago |
| Abie Grossfeld | Lifetime of Service | S. Ct. State Univ. (2nd Citation) | |
| 1986 | Steve Troester | National Statistics | Univ. of Iowa |
| Tom Dunn | President | Univ. of Iowa | |
| 1987 | Dr. Ralph Piper | Lifetime of Service | Univ. of Minnesota |
| Larry Fie | Lifetime of Service | A.A.I. Equipment | |
| Frank Cumiskey | Lifetime of Service | U.S.G.F. | |
| Rusty Mitchell | Rep. to U.S.G.F. | Univ. of New Mexico | |
| 1988 | Ted Muzyczko | Lifetime of Service | N.G.J.A. |
| John Scheer | NCAA Meet Director | Univ. of Nebraska | |
| Mark Pflughoeft | President | Univ. of Wisconsin | |
| 1989 | Louis A. Burkel | Chair-All Amer. Awards | U.S.A.F. Academy |
| 1990 | Louis A. Burkel | President | U.S.A.F. Academy (2nd Citation) |
| Mike Jacki | Executive Director | U.S.G.F. | |
| 1991 | Dan Bernitt | NCAA Computer Scoring | Penn State University |
| Tom Dunn | Awards Chairman | University of Iowa (2nd Citation) | |
| 1992 | Art Shurlock | President | U.C.L.A. |
| Mike Raines | Lifetime of Service | GMR Gymnastics Sales | |
| 1993 | Robert Cowan | Lifetime of Service | USA Gymnastics |
| Roy Johnson | Nissen Award | U. of Massachusetts | |
| 1994 | Roy Johnson | President (2nd Citation) | U. of Massachusetts |
| Nebraska Champ. | NCAA Hospitality | Univ. of Nebraska Gymn. Booster Club | |
| 1995 | Richard Aronson | CGA Executive Director | U. of Mass-Lowell (2nd Citation) |
| Bill Byrne | NCAA Legislation | Univ. of Nebraska | |
| Jonathan Kerr | NCAA Legislation | Univ. of Nebraska | |
| Walt Fowler | NCAA Legislation | New Sports Network | |
| Leandra Reilly | NCAA Legislation | New Sports Network | |
| Ron Galimore | NCAA Legislation | U.S.A.G. | |
| 1996 | Deb Nelson | NCAA Legislation | NCAA |
| Barb Adams | NCAA Legislation | Syracuse University | |
| Shane Evangelist | NCAA Legislation | Univ. of New Mexico | |
| 1997 | Charles M. Neinas | NCAA Legislation | College Football Assoc. |
| Kathy Scanlan | NCAA Legislation | U.S.A. Gymnastics | |
| C.J. Johnson | President | U. of Illinois-Chicago | |
| 1998 | Peter Kormann | NCAA Legislation | Ohio State University |
| Clayton Chapman | NCAA Legislation/USOC Funding | E.C.A.C | |
| Doug VanEveren | NCAA Legislation/Nissen Award | U.S. Military Academy | |
| 1999 | Doug Van Everen | President (2nd citation) | U.S. Military Academy |
| Richard D. Schultz Executive Director | U.S. Olympic Committee | ||
| Cedric W Dempsey | President | NCAA | |
| Col. Albert Vanderbush | USOC Funding | U.S. Military Academy | |
| 2000 | Wayne Burrow | NCAA Championships | NCAA |
| Butch Zunich | NCAA Judging Liaison | NGJA | |
| Mike Milidonis | Michigan Rescue | University of Michigan | |
| Bob Darden | Michigan Rescue | University of Michigan | |
| 2001 | Bob Colarossi | President | USA Gymnastics |
| Archie Griffin | Associate Athletics Director | Ohio State University | |
| Larry Fariss | Assistant Athletics Director | U.S. Air Force Academy | |
| Francis Allen | President | University of Nebraska | |
| 2002 | Bob Emery | Nissen-Emery Award | Penn State University |
| Jonathan Plante | Michigan State Rescue attempt | Michigan State Univ. | |
| 2003 | Mike Burns | Title IX Activity | University of Michigan |
| Fred Roethlisberger | Minnesota Rescue | University of Minnesota | |
| Josephine Potuto | Faculty Athletics Rep | University of Nebraska | |
| 2004 | Dr. Harold Frey | Honor Coach Award Chair(2nd citation) | U.C.-Berkeley |
| 2005 | Cliff Gauthier | All-Am. Scholar-Athlete, Chair | William & Mary |
| Lou Burkel | Lifetime of Service (3rd citation) | U.S. Air Force Academy | |
| Bruno Klaus | Lifetime of Service | International Gym Camp | |
| 2006 | Chris Schneider | NCAA Championships | NCAA |
| Jerry Wright | Lifetime of Service (3rd citation) | S.F. State University | |
| 2007 | Ken Achiron | NGJA Webmaster | NGJA |
| Joe Campbell | CGA Webmaster | State of Michigan | |
| 2008 | Kurt Golder | World University Games | University of Michigan |
| Yoshi Hayasaki | World University Games | University of Illinois | |
| Karen Owoc | The Pacific Coast Classic | USA Sports Management | |
| 2009 | Mike Burns | President (2nd citation) | University of Minnesota |
| Bob Wurornos | MIGSP | Mankato State | |
| 2010 | Richard Aronson | CGA Executive Director(3rd citation) | Univ. of Mass – Lowell |
| Dan Bachman | NCAA Judging Liaison | NGJA | |
| Steve LaFever | Lifetime of Service | Springfield College | |
| 2011 | Andrew Hampy | “Cal Gymnastics Forever” | U. of Calif.-Berkeley |
| Gary Bruening | Director 2011 USAG Collegiate Nationals | University of Vermont | |
| Jerry Davis | Director 0f 2011 NCAA Championship | Ohio State University | |
| 2012 | Robb Dunn | Chair of the NCAA M. Gym Committee | U.S. Naval Academy |
| Lindy Roberts | Associate A.D. | University of Oklahoma | |
| Chuck Schweiss | Asst. Coach | U.S. Air Force Academy | |
| 2013 | Carmine Giglio | Director of Voting Nissen-Emery Award | U.S. Military Academy |
| Jenn James | Asst. Athletic Director | Penn State University | |
| Cindy Walker | Official Scorer | William & Mary | |
| 2014 | Shawn Clement | Creator Steven Crowder Foundation | Rochester Gymnastics,MI |
| Curtis Wilson | Creator Steven Crowder Foundation | Rochester Gymnastics,MI | |
| Craig Holt | Asst. Coach | U.S. Naval Academy | |
| Alma Davila-Toro | Event Manager NCAA Championships | University of Michigan | |
| 2015 | Michael Beirne | Event Manager NCAA Championship | University of Oklahoma |
| Maryland Crosson | Consummate Photographer | ||
| Kip Simons | Director 2015 USAG Collegiate Division National Championship U.S. Air Force Academy | ||
| 2016 | Kiki Jacobs | Director 2016 USAG Collegiate Division National Championship | Springfield University |
| Dr. Jerry Davis | 2016 NCAA Championship Ohio University Meet director | ||
| Spencer Milne | Service of NCAA M. Gymnastics | William & Mary, Chair NCAA Committee | |
| 2017 | Capt.Joshua Burnett | Director of operations for 2017 NCAA Championships | U.S. Military Academy NCAA Championship at West Point. |
| Cliff Gauthier | Head Coach | William & Mary | |
| Lisa Mendel | Coordinator of Collegiate Team Championship since 1997 USA Gymnastics | ||
| Marc Russo | Head Coach | U of Washington | |
| Dr. Steve Posner | Head Coach | Springfield Univ. | |
| 2018 | Tonya McGowan | Senior Associate AD | UIC |
| Kevin Scheibler | Championship Co-Director (NCAA) | UIC | |
| Katie Vanlandingham Yarber | Championship Co-Director (NCAA) | UIC | |
| Tom Gibbs | CGA Honor Coach Award Committee Chair | Temple University | |
| Jeff Levin | Chicago NCAA Alumni Reunion | Crowd enhancement | |
| Blaise Blasko | Chicago NCAA Alumni Reunion | Crowd enhancement | |
| 2019 | Kip Simons | USAG Collegiate Championship Host | U.S.Naval Academy |
| Charley Nelson | Host 2018 NCAA Championship | Efforts to save UIC | |
| Illinois Event Management Team (Zachary Acton, Marissa Bainter, Holly Stalcup, Deion Summers & Ketie Taylor) | Host 2019 NCAA Championship | ||
| 2020 | The CGA Digital Content Team: Logan Bradley, Jessica Frankl, Alex Wittenberg, Ben Cooperman, Yordan Aleksandrov, & Daniel Geri | To recognize the amazing efforts to to expand the digital footprint of the CGA and collegiate men's gymnastics. | Various locations: Chicago, IL; Minneapolis, MN; New York City, NY; (Ben's location), Berkeley, CA; Oakland, CA |
| 2021 | Michelle McDonnell | 2021 NCAA Championships Director | University of Minnesota |
| John Bugner | Associate Director - NCAA Championships & Alliances, 2015-21 | Indianapolis, IN | |
| Mike Juszczyk | NGJA President | Atlanta, GA | |
| Ambert Yeung | Virtual Meet Platform for 2021 Collegiate Gymnastics Season | Virtius, Inc., Stanford University | |
| Syque Caesar | Virtual Meet Platform for 2021 Collegiate Gymnastics Season | Virtius, Inc., Stanford University |