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.

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

25th 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