Life Member Awards
Historically called “Honorary Member,” this pinnacle award is bestowed by ACCE on those who retire after stellar careers in chamber leadership. The present “Life Member” name recognizes both the lifetime of success in the chamber profession as well as the member-for-life status granted to each honoree.
Requirements & Eligiblity
Nomination for the Life Member Award is open to all retired chamber professionals. Individuals still serving in the profession, or those active in companies providing services to the profession, are not eligible for nomination.
Nominees must exemplify four principal characteristics:
- Demonstrable excellence throughout their chamber careers
- Measurable success in building their communities and organizations
- Significant contribution to the profession: ACCE participation and leadership, US Chamber institutes and programs, State Association participation, etc.
- Peer mentorship of their own staffs and others seeking growth in the profession
Nominations are currently closed for 2012. The award will be presented during ACCE Annual Convention.
2011 Life Members Announced!
Jim Barrett completed 32 years of dedicated service as president of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce in 2008. He was also president of Michigan Chamber Services, Inc., which continues to provide educational seminars, publications and insurance services for business people, and he was president of the Michigan Chamber Foundation, which is involved in leadership training, public policy forums, and research on public policy issues. For decades, he ensured that the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Executives had a home and top-notch support services (and personal mentoring) under the roof of his organization. Under Jim's leadership, the Michigan Chamber developed into the most effective interest group lobbing organization in Michigan and continues that rating today. The Michigan Political History Society selected him in 2003 as the top interest group leader in Michigan over the past 50 years.
He served as chairman of ACCE in 1992-93 and is past chairman of the Council of State Chambers as well as the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Executives. He was also a director of the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Legal Reform.
In July 2008, Jim founded a consulting firm, Management and Marketing Advisory Services, LLC. He serves clients involved in commerce, foundations, education, politics, and business incubation/venture capital.
Art Roberts has served the chamber profession for 41 years. Within that time he led four chambers of commerce, headed a state chamber executives association, facilitated more than 500 planning retreats for local chamber boards and associations, wrote two books - one was required reading at the US Chamber Institutes for 11 years - and, yes, there’s much more.
After a distinguished half-career running strong Texas chambers, Art went to work for the Texas Association of Business (TAB), where he became a senior vice president and leader of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives. In his 19-year career at TAB, he created the largest and most effective state-wide association of chamber leaders in the country. His counsel was sought by every new chamber leader and most seasoned ones.
He was a founding member of the Board of the Center for Chamber of Commerce Excellence, an education program for chamber executives in four states operated through the University of Oklahoma. He served as chairman of the Board of Regents of the Institute for Organization Management at SMU, and was one of two U.S. chamber executives selected to serve as the first instructors at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Central and South America.
Frank Ryll started his chamber career at the Sarasota County (FL) Chamber of Commerce in 1974, and went on to serve the Greater Greenville (SC) Chamber of Commerce in 1976 before arriving to the Florida Chamber of Commerce. He served as the Chamber’s president for 26 years and stepped down in 2008. His watch at the Florida Chamber included a period of unprecedented growth for the state. Scores of current and former Florida chamber leaders, as well as those in other states, consider Frank the most important mentor in their professional lives.
Frank has been a highly visible chamber figure on local, state and national levels. He is past president of the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, a past board member at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, past chair of the Council of State Chambers of Commerce, and past chair of the Institute for Organization Management - University of Georgia Board of Regents. He is past chair of both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee and the Community Growth Educational Foundation, and was vice chair for the board of trustees for ACCE Benefit Trust. During the biggest crisis in ACCE’s history, he worked alongside a handful of other leaders to “save” the organization and served as ACCE Chair in 2001.
Frank continues to make his mark as the new head of international outreach for the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
