Past Recipients of HAC’s Rural Housing Service Awards
What are the Rural Housing Service Awards?
Once every two years at the HAC Rural Housing Conference, HAC acknowledges rural housing leaders whose efforts have led to improved housing in rural America. The Cochran/Collings Award for Distinguished Service in Housing for the Rural Poor honors individuals who have provided outstanding and enduring service, with national impact, for the betterment of housing conditions for the rural poor. The Skip Jason Community Service Award recognizes individuals whose efforts have improved the housing conditions of the rural poor in their communities. Below is a list of past awardees.
2023 Awardees
- Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD)
- Xochitl Torres Small, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development
- Todd Richardson, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Miguel Chacon, Adults & Youth United Development Association, Incorporated
- Randall Hrabe, Northwest Kansas Housing, Inc.
- Beverly Massey, Universal Housing Development Corporation
- Dorothy Parker, White Mountain Apache Housing Authority
2020 Awardees
- Senator Tina Smith (Minnesota)
- Blackbelt & Central Alabama Housing
- Community Action Commission of Fayette County
- Cathy Glover, Deputy Administrator for Single Family Housing, USDA Rural Development
- Michael Feinberg, Senior Policy Analyst, HAC
- R. Scott McReynolds, Executive Director, Housing Development Alliance
2018 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Salvador Estrada, Tierra Del Sol Housing Corporatoin, Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Cassie Hicks, University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- Dennis Lalor, South County Housing, Gilroy, California
- Joe Myer, NCALL Research, Dover, Delaware
Cochran/Collings Award
- Starry Krueger, Rural Development Leadership Network
Henry B. González Award
- The Honorable Maxine Waters, U.S. House of Representatives (D-California | 43rd District)
2016 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Earl Howerton, Southside Outreach Group, South Boston, Virginia
- Lenora Jarvis-Mackey, River City Community Development Corporation, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
- Earl Pfeiffer, Florida Home Partnership, Ruskin, Florida
- Kathy Tyler, Motivation Education & Training, Inc., Austin, Texas
Cochran/Collings Award
- Lisa Mensah, Under Secretary, USDA Rural Development
- Tony Hernandez, Administrator, USDA Rural Housing Service
Henry B. González Award
- The Honorable Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senate (D-Oregon)
2014 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Brad Bishop, Self-Help Homes, Provo, Utah
- Martha Mendez, Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, Indio, California
- Andres Lazaro Saavedra, Rural LISC, Washington, District of Columbia
- Retha Patton, Eastern Eight Community Development Corporation, Johnson City, Tennessee
Cochran/Collings Award
- The Honorable Christopher “Kit” Bond, U.S. Senate (Retired), Missouri
Henry B. González Award
- The Honorable Patrick Leahy, U.S. Senate (D-Vermont)
- The Honorable Hal Rogers, U.S. House of Representatives (R-Kentucky)
2012 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- John David, Founder, Southern Appalachian Labor School, Kincaid, West Virginia
- Owyne Gardner, T&MA Regional Manager, Little Dixie Community Action Agency, Hugo, Oklahoma
- Alfred Gold, Executive Director, Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation, Westminster, Colorado
- Patty Griffiths, Housing Program Manager, Community Action Commission of Fayette County, Washington Court Housing, Ohio
Cochran/Collings Award
- Shirley Sherrod, Founder, The Sherrod Institute, Albany, Georgia
Henry B. González Award
- The Honorable Barney Frank, U.S. House of Representatives (D – Massachusetts)
2010 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Manuel Gauna, Founder, Tiempo, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona (posthumous award)
- Stan Keasling, CEO, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, Sacramento, California
- Selvin McGahee, Executive Director, Florida Non-Profit Housing, Sebring, Florida
- Linda Smith, Executive Director, Esther Stewart Buford Foundation, Yazoo City, Mississippi
Cochran/Collings Award
- Thomas A. Carew, Director of Membership, Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises, Berea, Kentucky
Henry B. González Award
- James E. Darling, City Commissioner, McAllen, Texas
- Joe L. Piccolo, Mayor, Price City, Utah
2008 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Emma “Pinky” Clifford, Executive Director, Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing, South Dakota
- Paul Douglas, Retired Executive Director, Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Massachusetts
- Lewis Kellom, Executive Director, Homes in Partnership, Apopka, Florida
- Sharon Walden, Executive Director, Stop Abusive Family Environments, Inc., West Virginia
Cochran/Collings Award
- William Simpson, Federal Representative, National Rural Water Association, Washington, DC
Henry B. González Award
- The Honorable Geoff Davis, U.S. House of Representatives (R-Kentucky)
- The Honorable Ed Pastor, U.S. House of Representatives (D-Arizona)
2006 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Lorna Bourg, Executive Director, Southern Mutual Help Association, New Iberia, Louisiana
- Steve Kirk, President, Rural Neighborhoods, Inc., Florida City, Florida
- Sabino Lopez, Executive Sub-Director, Center for Community Advocacy, Salinas, California
- Griffin Lotson, Chief Executive Office, Sams Memorial Community Economic Development, Inc., Darien, Georgia
Clay Cochran Award
- The Honorable Rubén Hinojosa, U.S. House of Representatives (D-Texas)
2004 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- David Arizmendi, Executive Director, Proyecto Azteca, Azteca Community Loan Fund, San Juan, Texas
- Jerome Little, Executive Director, Tallahatchie Housing, Inc., Webb, Mississippi
- John “Jack” Rivel, Special Project Director, Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises, Berea, Kentucky
- Mario Villanueva, Executive Director, Diocese of Yakima Housing Services, Yakima, Washington
Clay Cochran Award
- Cushing N. Dolbeare, Founder, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Mitchellville, Maryland
Special Recognition
- The Honorable Artur Davis, U.S. House of Representatives (D-Alabama)
- The Honorable Rubén Hinojosa, U.S. House of Representatives (D-Texas)
- The Honorable Rick Renzi, U.S. House of Representatives (R-Arizona)
- The Honorab
le Rep. Walsh, U.S. House of Representatives - Harry Bowie, HAC Board of Directors
- Art Collings, HAC Staff
2002 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Lynn Luallen, Chief Executive Officer, Kentucky Housing Corporation, Frankfort, Kentucky
- Madeleine Miller, Executive Director, Wil-Low Nonprofit Housing, Hayneville, Alabama
Clay Cochran Award
- Peter Carey, CEO, Self-Help Enterprises, Visalia, California
- Obediah Baker, Retired Deputy Administrator for Multi-Family Housing, Rural Housing Service, USDA, Washington, DC
2000 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Lauretta Brice Stephens, Florida Non-Profit Housing, Inc., Sebring, Florida
- Cora Esquibel, Arizona
- Arturo C. Gonzales, Southeastern Wisconsin Housing Corporation, Burlington, Wisconsin
- Dana M. Jones, Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Association, Hughesville, Maryland
Clay Cochran Award
- Eileen Fitzgerald, Washington, DC
1998 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Guillermo Castaneda
- Dwayne Yost
- John Zippert
Clay Cochran Award
- Arnold Sternberg
1996 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Clanton Beamon, Executive Director, Delta Housing Development Corporation, Mississippi
- Steve Mainster, Executive Director, Centro Campesino, Florida
- Rito Medina, Founder and Board Chairman, Tierra Del Sol Housing Corporation, New Mexico
Clay Cochran Award
- Maureen Kennedy, Former Administrator, Rural Housing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
Special HAC 25th Anniversary Award
- The Honorable Henry B. González (D-Texas), U.S. House of Representatives
1994 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Polly Nichol, Housing Programs Director, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Montpelier, Vermont
Clay Cochran Award
- The Honorable Eva M. Clayton, U.S. House of Representatives (D-North Carolina)
- The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, U.S. House of Representatives (D-Mississippi)
1991 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Bessie Swann
- Ted Smith (posthumous award)
Clay Cochran Award
- Robert A. Rapoza, Executive Secretary, National Rural Housing Coalition
1985 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- James Wilcox
Clay Cochran Award
- Art Collings
1983 Awardees
Skip Jason Award
- Rose Garcia, Executive Director, Tierra Del Sol Housing Corporation, Anthony, New Mexico
Clay Cochran Award
- Elizabeth Herring, co-founder, NCALL Research, Dover, Delaware
1981 Awardees
Community Service Award
- Moriah Milton, Hardwood, Louisiana
Clay Cochran Award
- Gordon Cavanaugh, former Executive Director, Housing Assistance Council, and former Administrator, Farmers Home Administration, Washington, DC
1979 Awardee
Clay Cochran Award
- Clay Cochran, former Executive Director, Rural America, Washington, DC
