ACT-IAC Awards Nomination Form

Nominations Close October 3, 2025

Each year, ACT-IAC confers awards in our community to individuals who embody the ACT-IAC mission of accelerating government mission outcomes through collaboration, leadership and education. Every award considers the extraordinary impact an individual has made in creating a more effective, innovative and responsive government.

A special selection committee is appointed, composed of both government and industry members, to select the awardees, and an invitation to submit award nominations is provided to ACT-IAC members.  Award committee members may also suggest worthy candidates. Most, if not all, of the awards will be conferred during the Imagine Nation ELC Conference each year.  However, depending on identified candidates, some awards may not be given out every year. 

ACT-IAC Government Executive Leadership Award – conferred in the spirit of John J. Franke

The spirit of this award – John J Franke – Mr. Franke was an early adopter and began a movement towards a more efficient government.  He was director of the Federal Quality Institute and a former assistant secretary of agriculture for administration and assistant secretary of agriculture for administration from 1982 until December 1989. He became director of the Federal Quality Institute, a quasi-independent organization that trained federal managers to improve the quality and efficiency of government services. He also had served as vice chairman of the President's Council on Management Improvement and as chairman of its government operations committee.

Overview:

This award is the highest given to a government employee and is presented to an individual who has made a profound and lasting difference in the federal community in the spirit of the ACT-IAC mission, to lean forward with new methods and approaches in creating a more effective, innovative and responsive government.

Criteria:

  • Extraordinary
  • Impactful
  • Government employee innovator
  • Contributing to the federal community over a sustained period of time

ACT-IAC – Industry Executive Leadership Award – conferred in the spirit of Janice K. Mendenhall

The spirit of this award – Janice K. Mendenhall – A life long-time civil servant Janice Mendenhall, an exceptional leader who was known for her dedication to mentoring others and strengthening government and industry relations.   Janice Mendenhall Regenstein served as assistant regional administrator with the General Services Administration known as Federal Technology Service in Atlanta, GA.  Mendenhall received many honors during her career, the GSA Meritorious Service Award in 1990, an agency honoree award from Government Computer News in 1991, GSA's Distinguished Service Award in 1994 and the Presidential Meritorious Service Rank Award in 1999. 

Overview:

This award is the highest given to an industry employee and is presented to an individual who has made a profound difference in collaboration in the federal community and in the spirit of ACT-IAC’s mission,  while driving new methods, approaches and creating a more effective, innovative and responsive government.

Criteria:

  • Collaborative
  • Extraordinary
  • Impactful
  • Innovator
  • Must be an employee of a member company and a contributor to ACT-IAC

ACT-IAC Education Award – conferred in the spirit of Virginia “Ginny” McCormick.

The spirit of this award:  Virginia “Ginny” McCormick a longtime government civil servant, worked for General Services Administration 46 years before retiring.  Through her work with the Federation of Government Information Processing Councils (FGIPC, now ACT) and the ADP Council of the Southeastern States, Ginny helped define the government-industry partnership as we know it today. She built and drove conferences the likes of which this industry hasn't seen in years, recruiting speakers from the highest ranks of the military as well as the titans of the technology industry. She hosted delegations from across the pond, sharing both her city and her home with visitors, some of whom became lifelong friends. 

Overview:

This award recognizes an individual (or team) from government or industry who has made significant contributions in educating, knowledge sharing and bringing awareness towards a more effective and efficient government

Criteria:  

  • Making a difference in volunteering with ACT-IAC, with a focus on educational/learning work
  • Government or Industry
  • Either an individual or team
  • Impact within the past year

ACT-IAC Contributor of the Year awards

There are two awardees in this category: Government Contributor of the Year and Industry Contributor of the Year.

Overview:

These awards are given to a Government Contributor of the Year and to an Industry Contributor of the Year.  In both cases, the nominee should have significant involvement in the federal community, achieve results aligned to the spirt of the ACT-IAC mission and have accomplished these results over the last year.  Industry recipients must be active CAT-IAC volunteers and employed at a member company.

Criteria: 

  • Significant contribution to ACT-IAC
  • May come from any ACT-IAC mission or program area
  • Impact is within the past year

ACT-IAC Rookie of the Year

Overview:

This award goes to an individual who is a new volunteer at ACT-IAC who has made a significant contribution to the association in the last year. (Note that while the individual is a newer volunteer, she/he can come from any member company or government agency, regardless of how long the organization has been involved in the work of ACT-IAC.)

Criteria:

  • Significant contribution to ACT-IAC
  • Impact is within the last

ACT-IAC President & Chairman Award of the year

The current ACT President and IAC Chairman may select either a single individual or two individuals to receive this special award.  Criteria is at the discretion of the President and Chair, in keeping with the mission and purpose of ACT-IAC.