This award is made in memory of Owen F. Thomas, M.D. who was a member of the first California Medical Association Commission on Blood Banks and the second President of CBBS.  He gave a lifetime of service to blood banking in the Sonoma County Community Blood Bank, and was an active member of CBBS from 1953 until his death in 1977.  He planned the first CBBS Technical Workshop at the third Annual Meeting on February 27, 1955, in Santa Rosa, California. Dr. Thomas was also in charge of the first commercial exhibit in 1958.

Past Award Recipients

1981 - Martha Ellwanger

1983 - Beverly Hayhurst

1984 - Judith Clear

1985 - Dennis Goldfinger

1986 - Herbert A. Perkins

1987 - George Garratty

1988 - Sandra Ellisor

1990 - May Lou Vedo

1991 - Janet K. Wilson

1992 - David Borucki

1993 - Robert S. Cox

1994 - Eudora McMillan

1994 - Jeanne Theobold

1995 - Asa Barnes

1996 - Louise E. Smith

1997 - Lawrence D. Petz

1998 - Phyllis Walker

1999 - Virginia Vengelen-Tyler

2000 - Phyliis Morel

2001 - J. Lawrence Naiman

2002 - Shirley Kenworthy

2003 - Mary Myers

2004 - Michael P. Busch

2005 - Susan Galel

2006 - Chris Gresens

2007 - Marianne Silva

2008 - Joy Fridey

2009 - Steven H. Kleinman

2010 - Ira A. Shulman

2011 - Ross Herron, Jr.

2012 - Alana (Loni) Calhoun

2013 - Jacqueline Tagliere

2014 - Carol Bell

2015 - Carol Veitenheimer, RN, MSN

2016 - Regina Leger