The Leonard Heise Award is presented to non-medical eye bankers in recognition of their outstanding devotion to the Eye Bank Association of America’s development and for exemplifying the precepts of Leonard Heise, a major contributor to the fight against blindness and one of the EBAA’s founders. This award is given annually during the Annual Meeting.
Criteria
Nominees for the award must meet the following requirements:
- Nominee must have been associated with an EBAA accredited eye bank for at least 10 years.
- Nominee must have made significant contributions to eye banking at a national and/or international level, as well as at a local level.
- The nomination must be supported with a letter from at least one of the following from the nominee’s eye bank: Board President, Executive Director and/or Medical Director.
- Individual’s local, national and international contributions to the EBAA and eye banking must be noted in the nomination.
The deadline for 2026 nominations has passed.
Congratulations to the 2025 Recipient:
Noël Mick
The Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration
Past Heise Awardees
2024: Charles Pivoney
2023: Chris Stoeger
2022: Eric Meinecke
2021: Brian Philippy
2020: Donna Drury
2019: Mark Callahan Soper
2018: Beth Binnion
2017: Dave Korroch
2016: Bernie Iliakis
2015: Jackie Malling
2014: Doyce Williams
2013: Bradley Tennant
2012: Jason Woody
2011: Bruce Varnum
2010: Dean Vavra
2009: Monty Montoya
2007: Brenda Horn
2006: Linda Fraser
2005: Barbara Crow
2004: Florence Johnston
2003: Gerald J. Cole
2002: Mary Beth Danneffel-Mandelkorn
2001: Ginger Miller
2000: Patricia Dahl
1999: Marilyn Lindenauer
1998: John Requard, III
1997: Mary Jane O’Neill
1996: Frances Hughes
1995: Ellen Heck
1993: Fredrick Griffith
1992: PID Gene Polgar
1991: Donna Oiland
1990: Margaret Kelm
1989: C. W. Temples
1988: Emile J. Farge, PhD
1986: Jake Watson
1985: Y. T. Abernathy
1984: A. Howard Snyder
1983: W. M. Goldfinch
1982: Orville Gauthier
1981: R. Kenneth Hudgins
1980: Geraldine & Leroy Skouby