This award recognizes the outstanding professional success and achievement at different points in their career. Three awards will be given out in this category to planners that made a contribution to the planning professions:

• Emerging Planner Award – Within their first 10 years in the profession
• Mid-Level Planner Award – With 10-25 years in the profession
• Seasoned Planner Award – Planners with at least 25 years in the profession

Experience can include, but is not limited to, work as a professional planner in the public, private, and /or non-profit sectors, paid or unpaid internships, research, advocacy work, or involvement with local planning organizations. 

Examples: contribution to research via papers, newspaper articles, creation of a planning related tool, thesis with real world applications, innovation in professional field, contribution to local chapter planning efforts, acting as a leader in their own organizations, encouraging innovative thinking, and community involvement and leadership. 

Nomination Criteria and Application Requirements: 

• Experience/Education. Provide an overview of how the candidates education and experience have assisted them in achieving professional success and achievement in the planning profession. 
• Results/Innovation/Leadership. Describe any major contributions that the candidate has made towards advancing understanding / identifying solutions to a planning issue; and/or demonstrated and applied innovative thinking to a planning issue; and/or demonstrated leadership related to the planning profession/field including leadership roles in academic projects.