Two local leaders, Steve King, retired president and CEO of the Beacon Group, and Marshall Herron of the Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS), received the Diane Lynn Anderson Memorial Award for 2018 for their lifetime of service, helping people with significant disabilities lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.
In nominating King for the award, Heidi Kirkland from the Beacon Group emphasized his focus on providing compassionate excellence to “all those in need of our services.” She spoke of his passion for all people, which was evident in how he treated all those he worked with. Under his leadership, the Beacon Group created and expanded businesses to employ disabled individuals in positions doing manufacturing and assembly, warehouse and fulfillment services, document destruction, custodial and landscaping services, facility and fleet maintenance, and more. Currently, Beacon serves over 2,100 persons annually.
Herron’s nomination describes him as a “trailblazer” who has “devoted himself to transforming the lives of vulnerable community members.” Tamara Tarpley, Dedicated Recovery Coach at La Frontera, said of Herron: “He is a wonderful advocate for his clients, and takes time out to really understand their needs and wants.” Herron leads the Guardianship Division for JFCS, which provides surrogates to support and advocate for individuals who are unable to advocate for themselves. As a case manager for the Pima County Public Fiduciary, he has served as the guardian for numerous clients on a 24/7 basis. “He placed each one of these clients at the center of the solar system of the multi-faceted teams that coordinated their care,” wrote Carlos Hernandez of JFCS in nominating Herron.
The Diane Lynn Anderson Memorial Award, administered by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA), was established in 1990 in honor of Diane Lynn Anderson, a leader in implementing programs for people with disabilities in Pima County. The annual award recognizes individuals and organizations who through their work show the compassion, devotion and care for people with disabilities that marked Diane’s life. Recipients are selected each year by a panel of community leaders, who review nominations submitted by the community. Nominees may include employees, leaders, volunteers, organizations, and programs that have established advocacy services and/or increased community resources for people with disabilities. Nominations for the 2019 award can be made beginning in December 2018. Donations to support the award are welcomed and may be made through the CFSA website.
Both Herron and King were honored at the NASW Luncheon on March 23rd. A list of all previous recipients of the award can be found on the CFSA website.