Washington, DC, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The usa’s Blood Facilities (ABC), the nationwide group of community-based, impartial blood facilities that offer 60 % of the country’s blood provide, is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Awards of Excellence. Those awards acknowledge exceptional folks and organizations for his or her remarkable contributions to supporting the country’s blood provide. The awards have been introduced all through ABC’s Annual Assembly in Tucson, Arizona, which introduced in combination blood middle executives and nationwide leaders to talk about important business subjects, advocacy efforts, regulatory updates, and the newest developments in science, medication, and technical affairs.
“America’s Blood Centers is proud to recognize these individuals and organizations for their outstanding support of our nation’s blood supply. These award recipients exemplify the dedication, innovation, and passion that drive the blood community forward,” mentioned Kate Fry, CEO of The usa’s Blood Facilities. “Their contributions have helped expand the donor base and provide life-saving blood products to patients across the country.”
The 2026 Awards of Excellence winners come with:
William M. Coenen President’s Award: BET on Blood for Sickle Mobile Illness Initiative: Venerated for its transformative effort to deal with the profound underutilization of pink blood cellular alternate treatment for sufferers with sickle cellular illness. Through uniting stakeholders around the blood and sickle cellular network, the initiative confronts systemic limitations akin to restricted consciousness, coaching gaps, and misconceptions about blood donation. Its collaborative, patient-centered manner and dedication to advancing care have helped be sure that extra sufferers obtain the blood remedies really helpful as first-line remedy for an often-underserved network.
William M. Coenen President’s Award: Janet Howard, Former CEO and Administrator, Western Kentucky Regional Blood Heart: Venerated for 45 years of unwavering carrier and her dedication to offering “any amount of any blood type, at any time.” Below her management, Western Kentucky Regional Blood Heart greater than doubled its carrier house, in the long run serving 11 clinical amenities and greater than 450,000 Kentuckians. Her occupation stands for instance of service-driven management, operational excellence, and the facility to ship exceptional affected person care without reference to geography or organizational measurement.
Nationwide Spouse of the 12 months: Vanderbilt College Owen Graduate College of Control: Awarded for his or her pivotal position in launching and turning in the inaugural Govt Fellows Program, a rigorous year-long management construction revel in created in partnership with ABC. Vanderbilt’s college evolved adapted case research, facilitated interactive studying, and supplied the educational experience that established a powerful basis for this system. Their partnership has been instrumental in advancing the following era of blood network leaders.
Blood Group Recommend of the 12 months: Juan Cotto, Executive Affairs Director, Bloodworks Northwest: Identified for his exceptional management in state-level advocacy, uniting Washington’s blood facilities and riding main coverage wins that reinforce the state’s blood provide. As incoming chair of ABC’s Council of States, Mr. Cotto constantly stocks his experience and a hit methods to improve colleagues national. His efforts on the federal point, maximum significantly serving to safe U.S. Consultant Kim Schrier as the unique lead co-sponsor of the bipartisan BLOOD Heart Act, have had a profound affect at the sufferers and communities the blood network serves.
Blood Group Recommend of the 12 months: Nick Gehrig, Vice President of Communications, Vitalant: Identified for his standout advocacy management, particularly on the state point. Mr. Gehrig has led proactive tasks throughout Vitalant’s complete footprint, together with efforts on a lot of Nationwide Blood Donor Month resolutions, and is the incoming vice-chair of ABC’s Council of States. His deep wisdom of an unlimited carrier house and willingness to improve different facilities make him an indispensable useful resource to all the blood network.
Exceptional Blood Power of the 12 months: Florida Strawberry Competition, Nominated by way of OneBlood: Identified for its outstanding affect at the network’s blood provide, accumulating 481 gadgets of blood all through its 2025 pressure, supporting the prospective to avoid wasting as much as 1,443 lives. The pageant has develop into a very important spouse to OneBlood, serving to handle a powerful blood provide all through classes of prime call for. Its robust collaboration, persisted dedication, and exuberance for lifesaving paintings set an impressive instance for a way local people partnerships can at once support affected person care.
Exceptional Public Family members Marketing campaign: New York Blood Heart Enterprises’ (NYBCe) “A Nationwide Call to Action”: Venerated for turning in NYBCe’s maximum bold and coordinated Nationwide Blood Donor Month effort thus far, reframing blood donation as a core civic duty. Through empowering network and civic leaders throughout all 8 divisions, the marketing campaign generated greater than 1,200 earned media mentions, the group’s most powerful media affect in just about a decade. Thru proclamations, PSAs, and huge public sector improve, the marketing campaign demonstrated how a mission-driven manner can reinforce relationships and raise consciousness throughout each marketplace served.
Company of the 12 months: Perdue Farms, Nominated by way of Shepeard Blood Heart: Venerated for its fast and memorable expansion as a blood pressure spouse, changing into Shepeard Blood Heart’s biggest company contributor in simply 3 years, with greater than 500 donors taking part in 2025. In 2025, Perdue expanded to 2 new places, additional strengthening its regional affect. Significantly, 81% of Perdue’s blood donors are from communities of colour, serving to make sure a extra various and medically very important blood provide for sufferers with stipulations akin to sickle cellular illness. Thru constant expansion, devoted conversation, and significant network funding, Perdue Farms has confirmed itself as an impressive company spouse within the blood network.
Larry Frederick Award: Diane Golden, Nominated by way of San Diego Blood Financial institution: Venerated for her atypical volunteer carrier, contributing 1,814 volunteer hours to San Diego Blood Financial institution, together with 644 hours in 2025 on my own. Ms. Golden stepped up all through a important length in 2020 when volunteer numbers have been enormously diminished and has since develop into a loyal presence at donor facilities, cell drives, and main network occasions. Her compassion, reliability, and willpower to recruiting new donors embrace the spirit of private advocacy that the Larry Frederick Award was once created to have fun.
Thomas F. Zuck Lifetime Fulfillment Award: Dr. Kip Kuttner, Miller-Keystone Blood Heart: Awarded for greater than 30 years of outstanding carrier to Miller-Keystone Blood Heart and the blood banking network as a pace-setter, mentor, trainer, and unwavering recommend. Dr. Kuttner’s in depth nationwide carrier comprises his position as Chair of the ABC Clinical, Clinical and Technical Committee, contributions to a lot of Blood Bulletin publications, and repair because the ABC liaison to the AABB Round of Data Job Drive. His integrity, compassion, and lifetime dedication to advancing blood banking and transfusion medication will proceed to encourage generations of clinical pros.
Based in 1962, The usa’s Blood Facilities (ABC) is the nationwide group bringing in combination community-based, impartial blood facilities throughout North The usa. Those organizations perform in additional than 1,100 communities and supply with reference to 60 % of the U.S. and 1 / 4 of the Canadian blood provide. ABC member organizations serve greater than 150 million folks and supply blood services and products to greater than 3,500 hospitals and healthcare amenities. All ABC U.S. contributors are 501(c)(3) organizations are regulated by way of the U.S. Meals and Drug Management or Well being Canada. For more info, consult with www.AmericasBlood.org.
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