Lifetime Achievement Award (formerly the Pioneer Award)
The annual Imagine America Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes career college founders, owners or operators who have provided exceptional support and leadership to the career college sector.
Previous awardees have distinguished themselves through the management of their institutions, their high ethical standards and devotion to innovation. Recipients are notified at the Annual Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU) Convention in June.
2014 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Jan Friedheim
Over the years, Jan has served as Chairperson, President, Committee Chair, for all the major organizations serving the Career College sector including ACICS, BERA, and APSCU. Perhaps Jan's greatest contribution to the field has been her encouragement to women to become involved in the organizations and accrediting bodies that serve this field. Through her efforts, female involvement and leadership has become a reality. She blazed a new trail to make this possible with her active involvement in AICS, COE, SACS, and ACICS as well as state and local career college associations. Jan was the first female chair of the AICS Accrediting Commission and AICS Board of Directors. Presidents Carter and Reagan both appointed Jan to the Secretary of Education's Advisory Committee on Accreditation and Institutional Eligibility.
2013 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Michael Platt
Some executives own a talent for setting new courses in their fields. Michael Platt, the visionary CEO and Founder of PlattForm, is at the forefront of that group. This year, his dedication to higher education and career colleges has earned him another distinction: The Board of Directors of the Imagine America Foundation has announced that Platt is the recipient of its 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award. Platt accepted the honor at the 2013 Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities Convention in Orlando on June 7.
Past Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2014 Jan Friedheim,Education Systems & Solutions
- 2013 Michael Platt, Founder, Plattform Advertising
- 2012 Frank Longaker, Founder, American National University
- 2011 Ken Konesco, Harrison College
- 2010 Jack Larson, Founder, Career Education Corporation
- 2009 Bill Clohan, DeVry University
- 2008 Specs Howard, Founder, Specs Howard School of Broadcast
- 2007 Dean Johnston, Santa Barbara Business College
- 2006 Rene Champagne, ITT Educational Services
- 2005 Caroline Willard, Founder, Court Reporting Institute of Dallas
- 2005 Bob Knutson, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Education Management Corporation
- 2004 David Moore, Founder, Corinthian Colleges, Inc.
- 2003 Bobbi Nathanson, Founder, Western Career Colleges
- 2003 Robert Sweet, Founder, Universal Technical Institute
- 2002 William Kalaboke, President, The Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale
- 2002 Marge Carlson, Founder, Apollo Colleges
- 2001 Henry Herzing, Founder, Herzing Colleges, Inc.
- 2001 Julia Morally, Founder, California Paramedical and Technical Colleges
- 2000 Alfred Dreyfus, Founder, ECPI Colleges of Technology
- 2000 Marsha Toy, Founder, Academy Pacific Travel College
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