2024 NCBA Awards

National Creditors Bar Association Awards highlight the fantastic work of our members and fellow industry representatives. These awards cover community service participation by our law firm members, outstanding State Creditors Bar Associations (SCBA), and impressive entities or people that represent and stand for the creditors rights industry. If you would like to nominate a SCBA, firm, person or entity that falls into one of those categories, read more below on award specifics and how to nominate. Please note, self-nominations are encouraged!

Nominations for 2024 are closed.

Member of the Year Award

The National Creditors Bar Association (NCBA) Member of the Year Award is intended to be presented to a member who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the NCBA vision.

Nominations:

The nomination should include an essay of no more than 300 words. 

NCBA Community Service Award

The National Creditors Bar Association Community Service Award is intended to recognize the member firm that has best demonstrated an overall firm commitment to and implementation of activities for the betterment of its community. The recipient will be a firm that has given, as a firm or through a large percentage of individual employees, substantial time to its community (which can include pro bono representation). The Award will recognize firm-wide effort, not that of one individual within a firm. Nominees will be evaluated based on the level of commitment shown, not on the number of hours or dollars provided, so that small firms are as likely to receive the award as large firms (as shown by the variety of previous recipients).

Nominations:

The nomination should include an approximately 500 word description of the firm’s activities, the community impact, and any publicity (as in local newspapers or bar publications) resulting from the firm’s service. 

Outstanding SCBA Award

The National Creditors Bar Association (NCBA) Outstanding SCBA Award is intended to recognize the SCBA which has best demonstrated a high level of activity within the legal community and within NCBA, and to recognize the challenges faced and surmounted.

Nominations:

The nomination should include an essay of no more than 300 words. 

Donald Kramer Award

National Creditors Bar Association's annual Donald Kramer Award is presented to a person or organization “whose efforts have made a substantial and lasting impact for the benefit of the credit and legal collection community.”

Nominations:

The nomination should include a brief description of the work that has been done by the nominee.

President's Award

This award goes to someone who demonstrates leadership within the NCBA community. Nominations cannot be made for this award. It is given at the sole direction of the NCBA Board President.

Deadlines

The deadline for nominations is 11:59 p.m. PT on August 30, 2024. If you have questions, contact us at membership@creditorsbar.org. 

Past Award Recipents

President's Award

  • 2024—NCBA Staff
  • 2023—Marvin Dang, Nelson & Kennard
  • 2021—Advocacy Support Fund Supporters
  • 2020—Bill Hicks, Messerli & Kramer
  • 2019—Robin Cole, National Creditors Bar Association
  • 2018—Weltman, Weinberg & Reis, Co., LPA
  • 2017—Alane Becket, Becket & Lee LLP; and Mark Groves, Glasser & Glasser, P.L.C.
  • 2016—Nathan Willner, Lyons, Doughty & Veldhuis, P.C.
  • 2015—Yale Levy, Levy & Associates, LLC; Steve Markoff, Markoff Law; and Brent Yarborough, Zarzaur & Schwartz, P.C.
  • 2014—Brenda Majewski, Kohn Law Firm, S.C.
  • 2013—Eric Berman, Eric M. Berman, P.C. (awarded posthumously)
  • 2012—June Coleman, Kronick Moskovitz Tiedeman & Girard; and Tomio Narita, Simmonds & Narita LLP
  • 2011—Michael H.R. Buckles, Buckles & Buckles, PLC
  • 2010—Adam J. Olshan, Law Offices of Howard Lee Schiff, PC
  • 2009—Thomas Canary, Mapother & Mapother, PSC
  • 2008—Wayne Babovich, Babovich & Spedale
  • 2007—Harvey Sharinn, Sharinn & Lipshie, PC

Member of the Year Award

  • 2024—Jerry Myers, John Sperati, Landon Van Winkle, Christina McAlpin Taylor, and Caren Enloe of Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing and Myers, L.L.P.
  • 2020—Harvey Moore, The Moore Law Group
  • 2019—Tomio Narita, Simmonds & Narita LLP
  • 2018—Manuel H. Newburger, Barron & Newburger, P.C.

Outstanding SCBA Award

  • 2024—Minnesota Creditors Rights Association
  • 2023—Florida Creditor’s Bar Association
  • 2022—Arizona State Creditors Bar Association
  • 2020—Michigan Creditors Bar Association
  • 2019—New York State Creditors Bar Association
  • 2018—Texas Creditors Bar Association
  • 2017—Maryland-DC Creditors Bar Association
  • 2016—Connecticut Creditors Bar Association
  • 2015—North Carolina Creditors Bar Association
  • 2014—The Commercial Lawyers Conference of New York; The Virginia Creditor Bar Association

Donald Kramer Award

  • 2023—Arizona State Creditors Bar Association
  • 2022—Dave Wharton, Founder of Stratus Payment Solutions and NCBA’s Scholarship Program
  • 2020—Brit Suttell, Barron & Newburger, P.C.
  • 2019—Joann Needleman, Clark Hill PLC, and past-President of NCBA
  • 2018—Representatives Alex Mooney (R-WV) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX)
  • 2017—The American Bar Association
  • 2016—The Conference of Chief Justices’ Committee on Civil Justice Improvements
  • 2015—Stephanie Eidelman with insideARM
  • 2014—The Honorable Annette M. Rizzo
  • 2013—no recipient
  • 2012—The House Financial Literacy & Economic Education Caucus
  • 2011—Richard Kamermann, Ford Motor Credit Corp.
  • 2010—Steven Goldman, CLS, Inc.
  • 2009—Michael Ginsberg, Kaulkin Ginsberg
  • 2008—Sam Gerdano, American Bankruptcy Institute
  • 2007—Jeffrey Bailles, National Association of Subrogation Professionals
  • 2006—Jim Balogh, Creator of Banko
  • 2005—Manny Newburger, Collection Industry Consultant
  • 2004—Dennis Hammond, DBA International

Community Service Award

  • 2023—Keith D. Weiner & Associates, Co. LPA
  • 2020—The “Acts of Kindness” Member Firms:
    Blitt and Gaines, P.C.
    Couch, Conville & Blitt, LLC
    The Law Offices of Daniel C. Consuegra, P.L.
    Friedman & Associates, LLC
    Glasser and Glasser, P.L.C.
    Gordon, Aylworth & Tami, P.C.
    Gurstel Law Firm P.C.
    The Law Office of Howard B. Weber
    The Law Office of Jason Gang, PLLC
    The McHughes Law Firm PLLC
    Messer Strickler, Ltd.
    Newby, Sartip & Masel, LLC
    North Central Legal Solutions, PC
    O'Reilly Rancilio P.C.
    Persolve Legal Group, LLP
    Randolph, Boyd, Cherry and Vaughan
    The Law Offices of Ronald S. Canter, LLC
    Slovin & Associates
    Tobin & Marohn
    Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA
    Zimmerman & Zimmerman, P.A.
  • 2019—Gurstel Law Firm, P.C., in Minnesota; and Keith D. Weiner & Associates, Co. LPA in Ohio
  • 2018—Bass & Associates, P.C. in Arizona
  • 2017—Tobin & Marohn in Connecticut
  • 2016—Messerli & Kramer, P.A. in Minnesota; and Fenton & McGarvey Law Firm, P.S.C. in Kentucky
  • 2015—Kohn Law Firm S.C. in Wisconsin
  • 2014—Couch Conville & Blitt in Louisiana; and Harris & Harris in Illinois
  • 2013—Glasser and Glasser, P.L.C. in Virginia
  • 2012—Hosto|Buchan in Arkansas
  • 2011—Litow & Pech in Iowa
  • 2010—Trott & Trott in Michigan
  • 2009—Morgan Bornstein & Morgan in New Jersey
  • 2008—South & Associates in Kansas
  • 2007—Weltman, Weinberg and Reis Company in Ohio
  • 2006—McIntosh Law Firm in North Carolina
  • 2005—Buckles & Buckles in Michigan