Honorary Membership

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has been granting honorary membership to non-members for their distinguished contributions to the field of nutrition and dietetics since 1920. Since 1954, the Academy has generally awarded honorary membership to two non-members every year based on their professional knowledge, technical expertise and promotion of the Academy’s mission, vision and values. Those chosen as honorary members have demonstrated goodwill through notable national or international service, promoted registered dietitian nutritionists and nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered, as contributors to the optimal health and nutritional status of the public and aided in the advancement of the profession and the Academy.

View Nomination Tips and Guidance (PDF)

Qualifications

1. Has never held Academy membership and/or the RDN/RD or NDTR/DTR credentials.
2. Has made distinguished contributions to nutrition and dietetics through:
   • professional knowledge.
   • technical expertise.
   • promotion of the Academy's mission, vision and values.
3. Has demonstrated goodwill through notable national or international service through:
   • the advancement of the profession.
   • the advancement of the Academy.
4. Has promoted Academy members as contributors to the optimal health and nutritional status of the population.

Scoring Criteria

• Has made distinguished contributions to nutrition and dietetics through professional knowledge, technical expertise and promotion of the Academy's mission, vision and values. (40 points)
• Has demonstrated goodwill through notable national or international service through the advancement of the profession and the Academy. (40 points)
• Has promoted Academy members as contributors to the optimal health and nutritional status of the population. (20 points)

Past Recipients

2022
José Andrés
George Phillip (Phil) Ayers
Praveen S. Goday
Betti J. Wiggins

2021
Karen Elizabeth Aspry
Peggi A. Guenter
Osama Hamdy
Kevin C. Maki

2020
William D. Chey
Larry K. Ellingson
Virginia A. Stallings

2019
Mark Corkins
Victor V. Van Beuren

2018
Roger A. Clemens
Daren Keith Heyland
Irl B. Hirsch

2017
Andrew S. Narva
Michelle Obama

2016
Sylvia B. Rowe
Howard A. Wolpert

2015
Michael O. Fleming
Dan Glickman

2014
Beverly Broughton Bajus
Nathan Wong

2013
Louis J. Aronne
Janey Knight Thornton

2012
Richard Bergenstal
Bob Murray
Robert M. Russell

2011
Mark DeLegge
Patrick Mahlen O’Neil

2010
David August
Robert Kushner

2009
Mary Christ-Erwin
Gerard Emmanuel Mullin

2008
Stephen A. McClave
Russell R. Pate
William N. Reynolds

2007
Richard J. Deckelbaum
John A. Milner

2006
George A. Bray
Samuel Klein

2005
Judith T. Barr
Henry N. Ginsberg

2004
Patricia M. Babjak
Gary D. Foster

2003
James O. Hill
Barbara J. Rolls

2002
Susan E. Carlson
William H. Dietz
Ambassador George McGovern

2001
Dominick P. DePaola
Linda M. Siminerio

2000
Van Saxton Hubbard
Graham Kerr
Robert Langholz

1999
Gordon Jensen
Shirley Watkins

1998
William J. Evans
Ezra Steiger

1997
George M. Owen
Ekhard Ziegler

1996
K. Michael Hambidge
Steven B. Heymsfield

1995
James E. Cimino

1994
J. Michael McGinnis
F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer

1993
Albert Barrocas
Ferdinard Metz

1992
George L. Blackburn
John E. Vanderveen

1991
Douglas W. Wilmore

1990
John P. Foreyt
Robert R. Heaney

1989
Charles E. Boyce
William E. Connor

1988
Julian F. Haynes
Victor Herbert

1987
C. Wayne Callaway
Lloyd J. Filer, Jr.

1986
Stephen Barrett
Jane Young Wallace

1985
Samuel Fomon

1984
Ronald A. Arky
Lorraine Thomas

1983
Howard Jacobson
Marvin E. Levin

1982
Arnold Schaefer
Harriet Sankey

1981
Maurice Shils

1980
Donnell Etzwiler

1979
Alfred E. Harper

1978
Charles Butterworth
Paul A. L. Haber

1977
Rosyln Alfin-Slater

1976
William Knisley

1975
J. Warren Perry

1974
William Darby

1973
George J. Christakis
D. Mark Hegsted

1972
Helen Brown

1971
Nevin S. Scrimshaw

1970
Jean Mayer

1969
Harald M. Graning

1968
Robert E. Shank
Horace L. Sipple

1967
Award not given

1966
Frederick J. Stare

1965
George E. Cartmill

1964
James M. Hundley

1963
Grace A. Goldsmith

1962
Award not given

1961
Robert R. Williams

1960
Conard A. Elvehjem


1959
Russell M. Wilder

1958
Charles Glen King
Hazel K. Stiebeling

1957
Leonard A. Maynard

1956
Stuart B. Foster

1955
Award not given

1954
Martha N. Eliot