The strength of ATAA comes from individuals and organizations that embody the values, mission and goals of the Assembly. Each year during its annual convention, the Assembly honors such individuals and organizations that have been nominated by the Turkish American community and stand out in community service, their respective professions and serve as role models for us all.
2026
Turkish American of the Year Award
Gizem Şalcıgil White
**President’s Special Award
**Yücel Burdurlu
Dr. Selim Erhan
Canan Özaktay
Didem Altop
Dr. Ebru Ҫetin Milci
Berna Gürdal
Pervin Karamete
Pelin Hoşkan San
Rabia Rana
Component Association of the Year Award
Turkish American Association of North Texas (TURANT)
Distinguished Service Award
Erdal Sipahi
Outstanding Achievement in Arts & Science Award
Burak Beşir
Youth Leadership Award
İlayda Yeni
Melodi Taş
Bartu Milci
2025
President’s Special Award Mine Taşcı Özalp Sezen Uysal
Outstanding Achievement in Arts & Science Award Professor Daron Acemoğlu
Service Award Turkish American Cultural Alliance of Chicago – TACA Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington – TACAWA Turkish American Cultural Association of Georgia – TACAGA
Component Association of the Year Award Turkish American Association of Minnesota – TAAM
American Friend of Türkiye Award Maria Çakırağa
Excellence in Charity Award Turkish American Women’s Scholarship Fund
Excellence in Service Award Ferruh Demirmen
UN Youth Award Bora Özalp Alya Rana
Distinguished Service Award Mazlum Koşma
2024
Meritorious Service Award Vega Sankur
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Sciences Award Refik Anadol (Art)
Young Leaders Award Mehmet Efe Taşcıoğlu
ATAA Special Award (Given to Eight Component Associations for their contributions to CATE Project) American Turkish Association of North Carolina – ATA-NC American Turkish Association of Washington, DC – ATA-DC Indiana – American Turkish Association – IN-ATATURK Oregon Turkish American Association – ORTA Turkish American Association of California – TAAC Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan – TACAM Turkish American Society of Northeastern Ohio – TASNO Utah Turkish American Association – UTAA
ATAA Service Award Empowering the Turkish American Community – ETAC-USA
ATAA UN Youth Award Yasemin Amanda Knot, Ece Yenigün
2023
President Special Award Amb. Murat Sungar
Distinguished Service Award Gökhan Özalp
ATAA Service Award Turkish Women’s League of America – TWLA
ATAA UN Youth Award Sean Özalpaşan, Emre Muharremoğlu, Ela Gӧkçiğdem
2019
President Special Award Dr. Ülkü Ülgür, Prof. Dr. Emre Kongar
Distinguished Service Award Sevgin Oktay
Outstanding Scholarly Work Award Prof. Justin McCarthy, Prof. George W. Gawrych
ATAA Special Award Dr. Yalçın Ayaslı, Hon. Ed Whitfield
Excellence in Service to the Turkish American Community Award Dr. Halil Ersoy, Lale Iskarpatyoti, Hülya Koç, Kayhan Yılmaz
Excellence in Media Yılmaz Polat
2016
Turkish American of the Year Award Prof. Aziz Sancar
President Special Award Başkent University, Faculty of Education
ATAA Special Award Ata Erim
Appreciation Award Rıdvan Sezer – Turkish NY
2015
Turkish American of the Year Award Erden Eruç
President Special Award Ergün Kırlıkovalı, Günay Evinch
Component Association Award Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California – ATASC, American Turkish Association of North Carolina – ATA-NC
2014
President Special Award Theodore Grisworld, Maxime Gauin, Sinan Cingilli, Sırma Oran
Distinguished Service Award Nurten Ural
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Sciences Award Latife Warshawsky
Component Association Award Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington – TACAWA
ATAA Special Award Amb. (Ret) Şükrü Elekdağ
Human Rights Award Dr. Doğu Perinçek, Mehmet Perinçek
Lifetime Distinguished Service Award Oya Bain, Bonnie Kaslan
2013
Distinguished Service Award William Alli, American Turkish Association of Washington, DC – ATA-DC. Turkish Society of Rochester – TSOR, Florida Turkish American Association – FTAA, Bridge to Türkiye Fund, Hidayet Türkoğlu
2012
Excellence in Peace at Home Peace in the Word Dr. Yalçın Ayaşlı, Fatih Özmen
Excellence in Humanity Late TRNC President Rauf Denktaş
Excellence in Charity Haldun Taşman, Çiğdem Acar
Excellence in Grassroots Leadership Orin Ford, Sermin Özçilingir, Dr. Javid Huseynov
Excellence in Service to the Turkish American Community Award Hakan Dakın
Excellence in Private Sector Ekmel Anda
Excellence on Public Service Zeliha Selimoğlu
Excellence in Business Vocelli Pizza, Taşkın Bakery
Excellence in Media Hürriyet USA, Turk of North America, Turkish American TV Hour
2008
President Special Award Naimi & Naila Amiraliyev, Feriha İştar
Distinguished Service Award David Saltzman, Bruce Fein
Meritorious Service Award Ali & Fevziye Manizade
Component Association Award American Turkish Association of Washington, DC – ATA-DC
Young Leaders Award Esra Alemdar, Yurter Özcan, Deniz Özkan Sonay Kanber
2006
Turkish American of the Year Award Dr. Brent Kennedy
President Special Award Güler Köknar
Distinguished Service Award Marcus Mann
Meritorious Service Award Orhan Gürbüz
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Sciences Award Fahir Atakoğlu (Art)
Component Association Award Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan – TACAM, American Turkish Association of Washington, DC – ATA-DC Pittsburgh Turkish American Association – PTAA
2005
Turkish American of the Year Award Oya Bain
President Special Award Amb. Faruk and Mrs. Mevhibe Loğoğlu
Distinguished Service Award Cemal Altaylı
Meritorious Service Award Yasemin San, Gökçe Sezgin
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Sciences Award Dr. Aziz Sancar (Science)
Component Association Award Turkish American Cultural Alliance of Chicago – TACA – Chicago Florida Turkish American Association – FTAA, Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California – ATASC, Anadolu Club
ATAA Peace Award Detroit Peace in the World Committee
American Friend of the year Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY)
ATAA Special Award Naci Koru
ATAA Benefactors Award Tolga Çubukçu, Mike Mustafoğlu, Cemal Altaylı, Bülent Başol, Şaduman Gürbüz
2004
Distinguished Service Award Demetra Mustafoğlu, Donald Cofman, Turan Tombul, Hüsnü Akaçin
President’s Special Award Drs. Fevziye & Ali Manizade
Component Association of the Year Award American Turkish Association of North Carolina – ATA-NC
25 th Year Special Award Dr. Ülkü Ülgür
Meritorious Service Award Hayati Balkanlı
American Friends of Turkey Award Kimberly Dodge
Outstanding Achievement in Arts & Sciences Award Erju Akman
2003
Distinguished Service Award Erhan Üsküp, Dr. Uğur Akıncı, Ufuk Gökçen
Meritorious Service Award Hülya Polat, Lincoln McCurdy
President Special Award Tarhan Danışman, Dr. Jayhun Mollazade, Mehmet Mustafoglu
American Friend of the Year Dr. Kenji Seto, Prof. John Grabowski, Diana Grabowski, Prof. Michael Williams, Prof. Donald Summers
Notable Achievement of the Year Award Zeyno Baran, Turkish American Cultural Alliance of Chicago – TACA-Chicago
Notable Achievement in the Business Award Alinur Velidedeoğlu, Hakan Çizem
Turkish American of the Year Award Dr. Attila Erhan
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Sciences Award Dr. Ilgin Aka, Dr. Ali Erdemir, Dr. Süleyman Gökoğlu, Dr. Hakan Kaya
Component Association Award American Turkish Association of Houston – ATA-Houston
Young Turkish American of the Award Aynur Hodge, Ömer Demircan
2002
Turkish American of the Year Award Dr. Osman (Oz) Bengür
President Special Award The Textile Museum
Distinguished Service Award Sevinç Balımtaş, John and Peggy Blake, Barbara Sher, Ahmet Toprak, Mine Tuncak, Nurten Ural
Meritorious Service Award Başak Brown, İsmail Ercan, Feriha İştar, Marcus Mann, Erol Palantekin, Sermin Ünsal, Sel Yackley
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Sciences Award Dr. Orhan Nalcıoğlu (Science)
Outstanding Achievement in Art and Humanities Award Ahmet Lüleci, Armağan Selçik
Component Association Award Azerbaijan Society of America – ASA, Turkish American Cultural Alliance of Chicago – TACA Chicago
American Friend of the year Cheryl Wyly
2001
American Friend of the Year Hon. Kay Granger, Hon. Edward Whitfield, Hon. Robert Wexler
Distinguished Service Award Dr. Yalçın Ayaslı, Oya Bain, Hans Bodlander, Bruce Fein, Didem Muslu
Freedom and Courage Award Peter Elliot
Component Association Award Turkish Women’s League of America – TWLA, American Turkish Association of Washington, DC – ATA-DC
Outstanding Achievement in the Arts Award Maurice Asseo
Outstanding Achievement in Science Award Prof. Nafi Toksöz, Dr. Aysel Sanderson, Dr. Miral Dizdar
President’s Special Award Dr. Sami Solu İbrahim Korgav
2000
President Special Award Amb. Mark Parris
Distinguished Service Award Tamer Açıkalın
Meritorious Service Award Güneş Karahasan, Erden Arkan, Coşkun Tunca, Sema Karaoğlu
Component Association Award American Turkish Association of Washington, DC – ATA-DC, Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California – ATASC, Turkish American Cultural Society of New England – TACSNE
American Friend of the Year Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN)
1999
President Special Award Dr. Engin Holmstrom
Distinguished Service Award Dr. Orhan Kaymakçalan
Meritorious Service Award Yavuz Atilla, Neriman Yüce, Şaduman Gürbüz
Special Award Captain Jerry Poussillon
1998
Turkish American of the Year Ali Rıza Bozkurt
American Friend of the Year Hon. Bob Livingston
President Special Award Prof. Dr. Turan Yazgan, Levent Yanık
Meritorious Service Award Arzu Tunca Tarımcılar, Günay Evinch, David Saltzman, Hacer Doğan
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Sciences Award Kamuran İnce (Art), Dr. Ali Erdemir (Science)
Component Association Award American Turkish Association of Washington, DC – ATA-DC, Turkish American Association of Northern Texas – TURANT, Turkish American Association of California – TAAC
1997
President Special Award Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), Capital Market Board of Turkey
Distinguished Service Award Dr. Sevket Karaduman, (Posthumously), Turkish Consulate General/Chicago
Meritorius Service Award Ercüment Kılıç
Component Association Award Turkish American Association of Northern Texas – TURANT, Istanbul Technical University Alumni Association Turkish American Cultural Association of Georgia – TACAGA
1996
President Special Award Aydan Kodaloğlu, Elizabeth W. Sheldon- American Friends of Turkey – AFOT, Fred Haynes- American Turkish Council – ATC
Distinguished Service Award Amb. Nüzhet Kandemir, Amb. Marc Grossman
Meritorious Service Award Vural Cengiz
Component Association Award Turkish-American Cultural Association of Georgia – TACAGA
1995
Turkish American of the Year Award Dr. Mehmet Öz
President Special Award Didem Muslu, Dr. Orhan Kaymakçalan
Distinguished Service Award Nesrin Oran Mavitan, Sadık Ahmet (posthumously), Louis Levi (posthumously), Bülent Başol
Meritorious Service Award Tolga Çubukçu, Laurel House
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Sciences Award Gürer Aykal, Henry Glassie
Outstanding Achievement in Art and Humanities Award Prof. Mehmet Fatih Uçkun
Component Association Award Turkish American Cultural Alliance – TACA, Turkish American Association for Cultural Exchange – TAACE
1994
President Special Award Ergün Kırklıkovalı, David Erbaş-White
Distinguished Service Award Ali Ferda Sevin
Meritorius Service Award Dr. Uğur Akıncı, Ahmet Sandıkçıoğlu
Outstanding Achievement in Arts & Science Award Prof. Türker Özdoğan
1993
ATAA Founders Award Ralph Ropp (Posthumously)
Distinguished Service Award Tunca Iskır, Dr. Kemal Göknar
Outstanding Achievement in Arts & Sciences Prof. Talat Halman
Turkish American of the Year Award Dr. Miral Dizdaroğlu
Meritorius Service Award Kaya Büyükataman, Eren Miski, Prof. Mahmut Esat Ozan
Component Association Award Turkish Society of Rochester – TSOR
President Special Award American Turkish Friendship Council – ATC, American Association of Jewish Friends of Turkey – AAJFT, Dr. Ahmet Ali Arslan, Vita Vendresha Donnelly
1992
Distinguished Service Award Hon. Frank Horton (R-NY), Leyla Kazaz, Bonnie Joy Kaslan, Ayten Sandıkçıoğlu, Rachel Amado Bortnick
Meritorius Service Award Sadi Dinlenç, Reyan Akbay
Board of Directors’ Medal of Honor Award Prof. Kenan Erim (Posthumously)
1991
Turkish American of the Year Award Prof. Hasan Özbekhan
Distinguished Service Award Ata İştar
1990
Gold Medal of Honor Award Hon. Robert Byrd
Distinguished Service Award Hon. Dan Burton, Hon Jim Moody, İlnur Çevik & Turkish Daily News
Turkish American of the Year Award Arif Mardin
1989
Gold Medal of Honor Award Amb. Şükrü Elekdağ, Ayla Elekdağ, Dr. Ülkü Ülgür
Leadership Medal of Honor Award Murat Sungar
Medal of Honor Award Dr. Esin Atıl, Dr. Avigdor Levy, Dr. Bernard Lewis, Dr. Heath Lowry, Dr. Justin McCarthy, Dr. Pierrr Oberling, Dr. Stafford Shaw
The Turk of the Year Award Naim Süleymanoğlu
1988
Distinguished Service Award Alp Karahasan, MD, PhD
Turkish American of the Year Award Nuri Sabuncu
1987
Gold Medal of Honor Award Dr. Esin Atıl
Distinguished Service Award Bonnie Joy Kaslan, Bekir Onursal
Turkish American of the Year Award Erol Onaran
1986
Distinguished Service Award Leon Picon
1985
Distinguished Service Award Tarhan Danışman
Turkish American of the Year Award Ayhan Hakimoğlu
1984
Gold Medal of Honor Award Hon. Ekrem Pakdemirli
Distinguished Service Award Ralph E. Ropp
Turkish American of the Year Award Ahmed Kafadar