US Chess Annual Awards Winners Announced

We are thrilled to announce the 2018 Annual Awards Winners, including Woman Chess Player of the Year, Sabina Foisor, "I am honored and humbled to accept this award and to join past recipients whom I admire and respect. This is an excellent morale-booster that will encourage me to continue promoting chess especially among females. Thank you US Chess!" This year's Distinguished Service Award recipient, Gary Walters, a former US Chess President, said: "Serving US Chess and the world’s greatest game has been one of the joys of my life.  Thanks to all responsible for remembering our volunteers.  They make us possible!" Find the full list below. Winners will be recognized at the Annual Awards Luncheon on Saturday, August 4th in conjunction with the US Open in Madison, Wisconsin, from July 28-August 5th. Distinguished Service Award – Gary Walters (OH) Outstanding Career Achievement Award – Jim Nickell (WI), Guy Hoffman (WI), Jim Eade (CA) Special Services Award – Richard Reich (WI), Eduardo Bauza Mercere (NY) Meritorious Services Award – Brad Phillips (WI), Fred Lange (WI), Randy Bubolz (WI), Jerry Neugarten (IL) Committee of the Year- Accessibility and Special Circumstances Committee Chess City of the Year  -Charlotte, NC Koltanowski Awards:  i.    Gold – Dewain Barber (CA) and   ii.    Silver – Two Sigma, Richard and Barbara Schiffrin (PA) Scholastic Service Award -i.Individual – Elizabeth Shaughnessy (CA) Organizer of the Year – Sophia Rohde (NY), Glenn Panner (IL) Frank J. Marshall Award – Viktors Pupols (WA), Franc Guadalupe (TX) Grandmaster of the Year- GM Fabiano Caruana Honorary Chess Mate – Bonnie Guadalupe (TX), Edith Just (IL) Chess Club of the Year – Bay Area Chess, Inc  (CA) Chess College of the Year – University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley Tournament Director of the Year – Chris Bird (MA) Tournament Director Lifetime Achievement Award – Erv Sedlock (FL) Outstanding Player Achievement Award – Andrew Karklins (IL), GM Timur Gareyev (KS) Outstanding Team Performance Award – 2017 US World Cadet Team Woman Chessplayer of the Year Award – WGM Sabina Foisor (NC) Special Friend of US Chess – Flynn Sign Company Co., Inc. (TN) https://www.instagram.com/p/BbvQVUHA_LY/?taken-by=us_chess Accessibility and Special Circumstances Person of the Year – Michael Lenox (IL), Michael Aigner (CA)