Honorary Life Membership & Outstanding Service Award Nominations Due
November 1, 2024
The DECA Professional Division Awards recognize individuals for outstanding and significant contributions toward the development and progress of DECA Inc. The DECA Professional Division Awards provide the opportunity to recognize dedicated supporters from the local to international levels who further DECA Inc.’s mission of preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
Honorary Life Membership is DECA’s highest award. Persons eligible for this award must be marketing or business education personnel who have added significantly to the development and/or progress of DECA at the international level for a minimum of 20 years. To be considered for the Honorary Life Membership Award, the nominee should be an Outstanding Service Award recipient. Only under unusual circumstances can more than two such awards be presented in any one year.
The DECA Honorary Life Membership Award will be presented during DECA’s International Career Development Conference or Collegiate DECA’s International Career Development Conference. Recipients will also be featured on DECA Direct Online.
The Outstanding Service Award is one of DECA Inc.’s most prestigious awards. This award recognizes marketing or business education personnel who have rendered distinguished contributions to further the mission of DECA Inc. at the international level for more than five years. Marketing or business education personnel who have left the profession but continue to support and provide outstanding contributions toward DECA’s success on the international level for a minimum of five years and from whom DECA may reasonably expect continued support of its activities are also eligible. The combined number of annual awards for the High School and Collegiate DECA divisions shall not exceed ten.
The DECA Outstanding Service Award will be presented during DECA’s International Career Development Conference or Collegiate DECA’s International Career Development Conference. Recipients will also be featured on DECA Direct Online.
Step 1: Nominate Candidate for Professional Division Award
Nominees are recommended by a chartered association and then approved by an appropriate DECA committee and board of directors.
Notify DECA Inc. of the eligible candidate you wish to nominate for the award by completing the official nomination form. Submit the form by November 1, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Step 2: Complete Professional Division Award Application Packet
Provide documentation of the candidate’s outstanding and significant contributions to DECA Inc. The award application packet must include the following documentation:
- Résumé (three pages maximum).
- One-page, single-spaced chronological listing of key achievements on an international scope that highlights contributions and achievements which have advanced the mission of DECA and marketing or business education.
- Three letters of recommendation in support of the candidate as a DECA Inc. award recipient.
- One high resolution electronic professional portrait (executive headshot).
Step 3: Submit Professional Division Award Application Packet
The official application packet must be completed in its entirety and received by December 1, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Submit via email to executiveoffice@deca.org.
