AHF National Awards

AHF’s National Awards program identified and highlights members of the AHF community and self-operated foodservice industry for their achievements. It is a prestigious honor to receive an award. AHF currently offers four primary awards and two special/discretionary awards to members of the larger AHF community which are outlined below. These awards are issued by the AHF Awards Committee through a details scoring and review process.

AHF’s 2025 Award Submissions are Open!

Use the forms and criteria below to submit an award to AHF. The submission deadline is March 31, 2025. We encourage everyone to submit their great work for national recognition. This is your chance to showcase your team, your work, and your organization. You’ll never know if you will win if you don’t submit. Award winners receive free conference registration as well as a travel stipend to cover part of their travel to attend the National Conference and receive their awards. For the Partnership & Leadership Award both award winners receive support.

Download the submission form for an award below, follow the instructions for completing the form and saving it and then submit it via the “Submit a Nomination” button below.

Submit A Nomination

Selection

Once you have submitted the award nomination, the awards committee will review all the submissions and select finalists using scoring criteria for each award. Members of the AHF Award Committee will then interview finalists for each award to gather additional information prior to determining the winner for each category. A finalist will then be selected for each award. You will be given an opportunity to further support what you have included in the form submission. If you have any questions about the application process or supporting documentation, please contact AHF Staff.

Recognition

Winning an AHF National Award is a high honor providing wide-scale recognition for the amazing work of our members, their organizations, and the self-operated industry. It is also a fantastic way to gain internal recognition from your administrators and facility for your department’s contributions.

  • Awards winners will be publically announced by AHF in the spring or summer each year in advance of the National Conference. Award winners are encouraged to promote their win and notify their PR departments
  • AHF will send a letter to your administrator and PR/Marketing department notifying them of your award.
    • We will offer your administrator free conference registration to attend and watch you receive your recognition.
  • Award winners will receive national recognition for themselves and their organizations.
  • AHF will produce a short video detailing the award and project and highlighting the winner.
  • AHF will release press release(s) of our awards and their winners which can be shared
  • Award winners will receive free conference registration, a travel stipend, and be awarded on the AHF mainstage. 
  • Award winners will be featured in SO Connected and may be asked to participate in educational opportunities related to their award/project. 
Refer A Friend!

If you know of someone doing amazing work, but don’t know all of the details to submit a full awards nomination, use our “refer a friend” form to recommend them for an award and we will reach out to them.

Refer a Friend

Questions? Contact Sarah Bennett  – sbennett@healthcarefoodservice.org

Primary Awards

Impact & Innovation Award

NEW! This award recognizes exceptional operators who push boundaries and drive industry progress, showcasing the transformative power of innovation in self-operated healthcare foodservice. This may include sustainability and environmental initiatives, technology advancements, driving positive local impact, exemplary data utilization, creative ideas, groundbreaking projects, and an unwavering dedication to promoting self-operated foodservice excellence. In the event multiple strong nominations are submitted, the AHF Awards Committee (having selected one winner) may recognize additional deserving applicants with Honorable Mentions for specific categories, including sustainability, benchmarking, or chapter/local work. These individuals will receive a conference scholarship to attend and network, the opportunity to convert their project into a bonus webinar topic the following year but will not be formally presented with an award on stage.

Basic Submission Criteria

  • Nominees must be an AHF member in good standing
  • Project/work should have been completed (or will have been completed) between the first of the previous year and May of the Awards year, ex. For the 2025 Awards, 1/1/2024 and 5/1/2025

Evaluation Criteria

  • Nominee has implemented revolutionary ideas that demonstrably improve outcomes, efficiency, or patient experience.
  • Nominee demonstrates exemplary leadership, inspiring and empowering others to embrace innovation and push boundaries.
  • Nominee delivers tangible results from their innovation, proving its effectiveness and driving industry progress.
  • Nominee actively collaborates with others to amplify the impact of their innovation and foster knowledge sharing.
  • Nominee demonstrates a clear vision for the future of self-operated foodservice, driven by continued innovation and progress.

The Impact and Innovation Award is brand new! 2025 will be the first year that we award a winner to this category. Submit today and be the first winner of the AHF Impact and Innovation Award!

Impact & Innovation Award Submission Form
Submit a Nomination

Exemplary Leadership Award

This award will be bestowed upon the operator member who best reflects the commitment to operational excellence that Don Marsh brought to healthcare foodservice. Don Marsh, former president of the American Society for Healthcare Food Service Administrators (ASHFSA), was a longtime supporter of programs to raise professionalism of operators in the healthcare foodservice industry and was known to contribute generously in these areas. The award recognizes exemplary member contributions in their operations as well as to regional, local chapters or networking meetings.

Basic Submission Criteria

  • Nominees must be an AHF member in good standing
  • All entries must be submitted in a single Word document that does not exceed 4 pages
  • Nominees must be an AHF member in good standing

Evaluation Criteria

  • Demonstrate scope and complexity of contributions
  • Initiative and resourcefulness demonstrated
    • Obstacles overcome and AHF tools utilized
  • Results achieved, contribution to AHF, to the employer and to the community
  • Leadership skills role modeled including timeliness and applicability for others to follow
  • Professional self-development and other professional contributions
Duilio Dasilva, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center

Duilio’s tenure at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center (LWRMC) showcases exceptional initiative and resourcefulness. As Executive Chef since 2008 and recently promoted to Director, he spearheaded the transition from contract to self-operation, alongside shifting from a system-level to a single-hospital directed model. Under his leadership, LWRMC experienced significant growth in patient and catering volumes, with a new 120-bed patient tower underway, including a new kitchen.

Duilio’s impact is evident across various fronts: he revitalized the doctors’ lounge with menu changes and enhanced service, boosting on-site doctor retention. He innovated the café with a salad bar, sushi offerings, and improved menu displays, leading to a 10% increase in café volumes. Patient satisfaction at LWRMC ranks top 5 in UHS, often taking the #1 spot in food quality. During crises like Hurricane Idalia, he ensured uninterrupted food service, demonstrating strong leadership.

Certified as a CEC and CCA, Duilio’s professional growth includes culinary medicine and AHF webinars, enhancing his skills in self-op leadership. His servant leadership approach fosters high staff engagement and community impact, setting a benchmark in healthcare foodservice leadership.

Exemplary Leadership Award Submission Form
Submit a Nomination

Future Horizon Award

This award recognizes self-operator members with 1-5 years of management experience who have demonstrated exceptional leadership potential and the ability to implement strategic plans that positively impact their hospital and community.

Basic Submission Criteria

  • All entries must be submitted in a single Word document that does not exceed 4 pages.
  • Nominee must be an AHF member in good standing.
  • Nominee must be new to management, with less than five (5) years in their role.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Professional self-development, work and academic experience
    • Education and training, professional certifications and licenses, career progression
  • Contributions to employer and area of responsibility
    • Team leadership and mentoring, process improvement and innovation, financial performance
  • Contributions to AHF and the healthcare profession
    • Involvement in AHF committees and activities, presentations and publications, advocacy for self-operated healthcare foodservice
  • Contributions to community and academia
    • Volunteerism and board service, teaching and mentoring, support for research and education
  • Contributions as leadership role models for AHF values
    • Integrity, professionalism, innovation, collaboration, dedication to excellence
Kaitlyn Greb, Midland Memorial Hospital

Kaitlyn, a dedicated healthcare leader at Midland Memorial Hospital, embodies resilience and innovation in her role as Director of Food and Nutrition. With a robust educational background including dual Master’s degrees in Business Administration and Healthcare Administration from Texas Woman’s University, and a Bachelor’s in Dietetics and Nutrition from Keiser University, Kaitlyn navigated significant challenges such as the onset of the pandemic and the Texas freeze crisis. She prioritized employee welfare, ensuring continuity in hospital operations amidst adversity.

Her commitment goes beyond crisis management; Kaitlyn actively contributes to the advancement of healthcare foodservice through mentorship and community service. Engaged with AHF for over five years, she leverages AHF resources, including forums and national conferences, to enhance her leadership skills and departmental operations. Kaitlyn’s proactive approach and strategic use of AHF insights have not only fortified her confidence as a leader but also facilitated her hospital’s growth, evidenced by ongoing expansions and service improvements.

Her vision for the future includes fostering talent in healthcare foodservice and continuing to champion self-operation models that elevate patient care standards. Kaitlyn’s journey underscores the transformative impact of AHF in nurturing leadership and excellence within the healthcare community.

Future Horizon Award Submission Form
Submit a Nomination

Partnership in Leadership Award

This award recognizes an operator and an administrator (non-foodservice) (2 total awardees) who have demonstrated a strong commitment to nutritional food service by self-operation and currently support the foodservice director or foodservice administrative director. This award celebrates the power of collaboration and the impact that can be achieved when two individuals work together to improve patient care and outcomes. For the Partnership in Leadership award, the relationship should be current, and the award will be judged on a project and not only the relationship.

Basic Submission Criteria

  • All entries must be submitted in a single Word document that does not exceed 4 pages
  • Nominees must be an AHF member in good standing

Evaluation Criteria

  • Demonstrate project primary objective and overall results
  • Highlight the scope and complexity of director/administrator relationship
  • Explain obstacles encountered and resolutions achieved by working together
  • Administrator support and advocacy of AHF and its members
  • Applicability to AHF membership and the healthcare industry
Patrick Lamont & Diana Sullivan, One Brooklyn Health

Patrick LaMont and Diana Sullivan’s partnership at One Brooklyn Health shows visionary leadership and collaborative success in healthcare foodservice. Their project, born from a nursing staffing restructuring initiative, aimed to enhance direct patient care by shifting tray-passing responsibilities from nursing to dietary. Patrick meticulously developed this program with input from his management team, AHF resources, and aligned with administrative objectives, including a detailed staffing plan and comprehensive training regimen.

Their pilot program, which launched on the 11th floor, swiftly demonstrated significant improvements in patient satisfaction scores and nursing efficiency, prompting its rapid hospital-wide adoption within 30 days. This success underscores their innovative approach and operational impact, advocating for streamlined self-operation models adaptable across diverse healthcare settings.

Utilizing AHF educational tools and community insights, Patrick and Diana maximized cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency, avoiding costly external consultations. Their strong partnership with administrators at OBH facilitated a transformative change rooted in mutual respect and shared goals, emphasizing the importance of collaborative leadership in healthcare settings. Their achievements not only elevate patient care standards but also inspire future initiatives within AHF member institutions.

Partnership in Leadership Award Submission Form
Submit a Nomination

Special & Discretionary Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award is the Association’s highest honor, recognizing individuals who have made significant and enduring contributions to the field of self-operated healthcare foodservice, demonstrating exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to the core values of AHF. It recognizes operator members who best exemplify the leadership and spirit of Jacques Bloch and Angelo Gagliano the founders of our legacy organizations. Those who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to AHF, the healthcare foodservice profession, their employers, the community, and the embodiment of AHF’s values.

Basic Submission Criteria

  • All entries must be submitted in a single Word document that does not exceed 4 pages.
  • Nominees must be an AHF member in good standing.
  • Only one nominee per submission is allowed. Group nominations will not be considered.
  • Nominees must have at least 20 years of documented accomplishments in the field of healthcare foodservice who have had a significant impact on numerous individuals and organizations.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Demonstrated exceptional leadership and contributions to AHF, including legacy associations.
  • Significant contributions to the advancement of healthcare foodservice practices, standards, and education.
  • Measurable impact on improving patient care, nutrition, and satisfaction through their contributions to self-operated healthcare foodservice.
  • Active involvement in community organizations, charitable endeavors, or civic initiatives.
  • Consistent embodiment of AHF’s core values: integrity, professionalism, innovation, collaboration, and dedication to excellence.
  •  
Eric Eisenberg

Eric Eisenberg has made so many impactful contributions to the Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF) as well as the healthcare and senior dining industries as a whole. Since AHF’s inception and through its legacy associations, Eric has built an industry legacy. Beginning as the emcee for culinary competitions and a former culinary winner himself, Eric’s leadership within AHF has been unwavering. He has served on numerous committees, including as President of the Washington Chapter and co-chair of the 2018 National Conference. Eric’s journey led him to the AHF Board of Directors, serving as president in 2022.

In the foodservice industry, Eric’s impact extends beyond AHF. At Swedish Medical Center, he enhanced the menu and room service, reducing costs while boosting patient satisfaction. His tenure at Rogue Valley Manor saw him navigate crises like COVID-19 and wildfires, all while pioneering plant-forward dining options. Eric’s community involvement includes supporting employee scholarships through a golf tournament and contributing to the Asante Children’s Miracle Network.

As a leader, Eric made the elevation of foodservice in healthcare and senior dining to restaurant-quality standards a cornerstone of his career. Prior to leading healthcare and senior dining operations, he has an extensive history in international and commercial culinary settings, with classic French culinary training. His advocacy for chefs in healthcare has reshaped industry perceptions, earning him accolades like the 2020 IFMA Silver Plate Award in Healthcare. Eric’s commitment to AHF and healthcare foodservice underscores his eligibility for the AHF Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting his enduring impact and leadership.

Lifetime Achievement Award Submission Form
Submit a Nomination

Making A Difference Award

The Making a Difference Award is given annually to an AHF Business Partner member or Media member and given in honor of John Cabot and is the association’s top award for both business partners and media, and it is presented to someone who has made significant contributions to AHF in the tradition of selfless industry leadership. This award is coordinated by the IAB Chair in partnership with the AHF President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, and Executive Director, it is not a part of the Award Committee’s work. 

  • The Making a Difference Award is chosen and selected by the IAB Chair. 
  • The IAB Chair, with the support of other AHF leadership and key staff, will select a deserving individual based on: 
    • Contributions to AHF
    • Contributions to the healthcare foodservice industry
    • Contributions to the senior dining industry
    • Contributions to the wider stakeholder community
Stephanie Gilbert, BSI & Food Service Holdings

Stephanie’s legacy at the Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF) is long and she is so often the first call someone makes when they need help. She served on the AHF Industry Advisory Board (IAB) for five years, from 2019 to 2023, culminating in her role as Chair of the IAB alongside 2022 AHF President, Eric Eisenberg. During this period, she provided invaluable insights and leadership, steering the board through significant challenges and constant strategic shuffling in the aftermath of COVID.

Stephanie has been an active participant in multiple AHF committees, consistently sharing her expertise. She played a crucial role in helping AHF transition to a self-operated management model in 2019. In 2020, she served as Chair of AHF’s Conference Planning Committee alongside Angela O’Neill. Despite the cancellation of the in-person conference they successfully pivoted to host one of the industry’s most successful virtual conferences. In 2008 she received the 2008 ASHFA Presidential Service Award.

She has an actual life-long history in the industry through her mother, Ellen, but she has carved her own path as an industry leader and a trusted partner. She has supported AHF through her time with many longstanding AHF business partners including Hobart and now BSI. Stephanie’s contributions have made a difference. They will echo for years to come. She is a true industry veteran, and her service, leadership, and dedication continue to lead the way in healthcare, senior dining, and hospitality.

About AHF’s Awards Committee & Selection Process

The AHF Awards Committee consists of a diverse set of AHF members including both business partners, operators, retired members, educators, and members of the media. This ensures a fair process and a diversity of awardees. The committee will always includes at least one previous winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The committee is tasked by the Board to champion diversity across multiple categories while highlighting innovation and advancement within each award category.  

Each year the awards committee seeks submissions for all its categories. The committee reviews all applications selecting finalists for each award category. Once finalists are identified for each award, the committee interviews the finalists. Following these interviews the award submissions are confidentially scored by the committee and tabulated by AHF Staff to determine winners for each awards category. Once the final award winners are determined, they will be ratified by the Board of Directors.