ACES Awardees

ACES or “Employer of the Year” Awards designate those state agencies that have shown a strong commitment and made substantial progress in the employment of persons with disabilities. Based on disability representation and hiring data gathered by CalHR, generally the ACES Awards will be presented to one large, one medium, and one small department.

 

DAC of the Year
ACSED and the State Disability Advisory Committee (SDAC) will honor the top three state departments’ DACs for their superior efforts to support the success of a department’s disability employment efforts. There will be three awards presented: The DAC of the Year Award along with two DAC Achievement Awards. Ralph Black Award – Jeff Thom This award was established in the name of its initial recipient to honor him on his 2011 retirement and to acknowledge his exemplary efforts to advance disability rights and disability employment opportunities in public service. The award is given to an individual with a disability who has made:
  1. A significant contribution to promoting disability rights, particularly in terms of expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities;
  2. A sustained commitment of leadership and time, above and beyond their employment duties, to ACSED or other disability-related organizations;
  3. A career dedicated to excellence in public service or clear potential for such achievement.
Special Recognition Award – Suzanne M. Ambrose From time to time, ACSED presents a special award to an individual or organization that has rendered valuable service to the disability community in education, employment, or civil rights. This award is not always given annually, but when the ACSED Board or membership deems it appropriate to recognize a person or organization for long and dedicated service to people with disabilities or a particularly noteworthy achievement in one or more of the categories mentioned above. Sustained Achievement Award(s) This category of awards was established by the ACSED Board of Directors. These awards will be given to Departments whose sustained achievement has led them to receive the ACES Award for at least three out of the last four consecutive years. ACSED Dedicated Service Award This is a new award being given for the first time in 2019. The award is given to an individual who has made an especially noteworthy contribution of time and energy, over a period of years, to support the activities and mission of ACSED. This support may include, but is not limited to, planning and organizing special events, fundraising, legislative advocacy, communications or administrative support. If the individual has served as an officer, the award would be intended to recognize work above and beyond the basic requirements for the position(s) they held.