Pioneer Award

The Pioneer Award was established in 2016 by the NC Coalition on Aging to recognize individuals who have made long-time outstanding contributions to the field of aging in North Carolina. The Coalition is pleased to recognize the following recipients of the Award who have been long time passionate aging advocates in the state. Pioneer Award recipients are recognized at the Annual Meeting each year.
2024: Dr. Bill Milner

2023: Betty Rising

2022: Margot Raynor

2021: Mary Bethel

2022: Nancy Warren

2021: Suzanne LaFollette Black

2021: Dennis W. Streets

2021: Dr. William “Billy” Dunlap

2020: Dr. Sandy Gregory 

2020: Steve Freedman

2019: Dr. Althea Taylor Jones

2019: Dr. Lisa Gwyther

2018: Lou Wilson

2018: Bill Lamb

2018: Robert N. “Bob” Jackson

2017: Richard “Dick” Hatch

2017: Diana “Dee” Hatch

2017: Polly Williams

2016: Dorothy Rose “Dot” Crawford