The Ken Graves Memorial Award was established to recognize exemplary work and service not only in the profession of association management but also in one’s community.

The award is named after Ken Graves, who was not only a founding member of the Arkansas Society of Association Executives, but also was the first Arkansan to receive the Certified Association Executive distinction from the American Society of Association Executives. Ken’s leadership extended beyond his association work into the community in which he lived.

A native of Malvern and a graduate of Little Rock University, Ken Graves worked with the City of Little Rock’s Urban Renewal program and the Arkansas Real Estate Commission before being named ‘executive secretary’ for the Arkansas Realtors Association in 1975.
He was the consummate “exec.” He was adept at member services and legislative advocacy, a true leader, a tireless servant  and a trusted friend to all who came to know him. He served with distinction until 1986 when he was forced to retire and cut short a promising career in association management due to failing health. He passed away a year later in July 1987 from ALS or ‘Lou Gehrig’s Disease’ at the age of 49.

The prestigious Ken Graves Award recognizes exemplary work and service by an executive - not only to the profession of association management, but to their community and the state of Arkansas. It is not necessarily a lifetime achievement award and not always presented every year. The award is the highest individual award of ASAE and is presented at the Annual Banquet during the convention.

Credit:  J.D. Harper

2023 Award Recipient:  Anne Fuller

Past Award Recipients:

Glenn Black - 1989
Maurice Lewis - 1990
Dennis Jungmeyer, CAE - 1991
Lynn Zeno - 1992
Ken LaMastus, CAE - 1993
Betty Valachovic, CAE - 1994
Bruce Blackall - 1995
Dennis Schick - 1996
Jim Teeter - 1998
J. D. Harper - 2002
Ann Hines - 2004
Randy Lann - 2007
Tom Parker - 2008
Phil Matthews - 2010
Larry Boccarossa - 2011
Dennis Farmer - 2012
Billy Tarpley - 2013
Montine McNulty, CAE - 2014
Mary Dandurand – 2015
Stanley Hill – 2016
Tom Larimer – 2018
Ann Gilbert – 2019
David Wroten – 2020
Kelly Robbins – 2021
Vicki Farmer, IOM, CAE - 2022
Anne Fuller - 2023

Link To ASAE Awards