The Robert R. Shumate Excellence Award

Robert P. Shumate National Public Safety and Justice Contributor to Excellence Award

The Robert P. Shumate National Public Safety and Justice Contributor to Excellence Award, named for the first president of the IJIS Institute, is presented annually by the IJIS Institute to an individual from either industry or the public sector who has made the most valuable contribution to justice and public safety information sharing over his or her career. Candidates for the award can only be nominated by IJIS Institute members, and they represent the highest level of conviction to the IJIS Institute mission. Candidates must be public or private sector employees or retirees who were active in the justice and public safety community.

A suitable nominee has significantly contributed to the advancement of integrated justice and/or public safety through the following:

Advanced activities positively impact the implementation of integrated justice and public safety solutions.
Actively participated in the development of principles and guidelines that have significantly contributed to the advancement of integrated justice and public safety solutions.
Actively volunteered their time and talents to the pursuit of the implementation of quality justice and public safety information-sharing solutions.
Been a driving force in defining the landscape for information sharing in the public sector.
They are recognized by their peers as a leader in the field of justice and public safety and the integration activities that lead to improvements in the field.
Has made a real difference in the lives of justice and public safety practitioners through their contributions to the field
Has actively worked to support the mission of the IJIS Institute in the field of justice and public safety.

Winners of this award include:

2023 – Dr. Kevin C. Borcher, Senior Project Coordinator, Institute for Intergovernmental Research
2022 – Catherine A. Miller, National Capital Region (NCR) Law Enforcement Information Exchange (LInX) Program Manager, Montgomery County PD
2021 – Joseph Wheeler, Former CEO of MTG Management Consultants, and Current Vice President of Justice and Courts, Mission Critical Partners
2020 – William Ford, National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice
2019 – Colonel Joseph Richard (Rick) Fuentes, New Jersey State Police (Retired)
2018 – Steve Souder, Director (retired), Fairfax County (VA) Department of Public Safety Communications
2017 – Douglas Robinson, Executive Director, National Association of State CIOs ( NASCIO)
2016 – Paul K. Wormeli, Executive Director Emeritus, IJIS Institute, and Wormeli Consulting
2015 – Pamela Scanlon, Executive Director, Automated Regional Justice Information System
2014 – Robert Greeves, Policy Adviser (retired) to the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
2012 – Thomas O’Reilly, Executive Director, Rutgers University Police Institute
2011 – Alan Harbitter, Harbitter Consulting Group
2010 – David Gavin, Texas Department of Public Safety
2009 – Bruce Kelling, Managing Principal, Bask Enterprises
2008 – Harlin R. McEwen, Chairman of the Board, Public Safety Spectrum Trust
2007 – Steve Correll, Executive Director, Nlets
2006 – Mike Hulme, Justice and Public Safety Architect, Unisys