Innovative Idea of the Year Award
Supported by Norman and Susan Pappas
This award recognizes a staff member for excellence in the creation and implementation of an idea that benefits the Jewish Federation of Detroit. We all have excellent ideas that can have a productive impact on our programs, services and work environment.
- All staff is encouraged to be creative and think of ideas that will bring positive results. The winner receives a stipend for professional development.
- Open to all Federation staff; all areas of the Federation may be nominated.
- Any staff may nominate other staff to be considered for the award.
- Eligible staff will have proposed an idea that was implemented.
- Nominations will include the nominees’ name, position and years at Federation proposed idea, how it was implemented and the benefit to Federation.
- Nominations must be submitted by the deadline (Friday, October 24, 2025). All nominations are kept confidential.
Click here to submit a nomination
Past Winners
1998: Joe Imberman (Grant Makers Mission)
1999: Linda Blumberg (ElderLink)
2000: Susan Cassels Kamin (Board of Governors Meetings)
2001: Bernice Herd (Brown Bag Lunch Series)
2002: David Contorer and Allan “Geli” Gelfond (Russian Jewish Community)
2003: Jon Taylor (Online Management & Upgrade)
2004: Andrew Echt (Roundtable Forum)
2005: Tova Dorfman and Naomi Rockowitz (Fisher Mission)
2006: Kari Alterman (The Jewish Entrepreneurs Network)
2007: Michael Benghiat (No Family Stands Alone Campaign)
2008: Scott Kaufman (Israel at 60 Celebrations)
2009: Gail Greenberg (Passover Productions)
2010: Jennifer Levine (Adam & Jodi Becker YAD All Star Mission)
2011: Harvey Leven (CSI2: Congregational School Initiative)
2012: Lisa Cutler and Ted Cohen (Step Forward Marketing Campaign)
2013: Daniel Greenberg (Centennial Recognition Plan)
2014: Gary Sikorski (School & Camp Security Program)
2015: Jeffrey Lasday (The Formation of JEdI)
2016: Herb Hanson (Reimagining Online Interactivity)
2017: Megan Topper (Reimaging the Event-Based Campaign)
2018: Todd Krieger (Youth Mental Health)
2019: John Hardwick (Collaborative Digital Workflow)
2020: Karen Kaplan (Strategic Gen-X Engagement)
2021: Dorothy Benyas (Campaign Calendar Change)
2022: Robbie Terman (The Heritage Center)
2023: Marianne Bloomberg (JWNN – Level Up, A Women’s Business Accelerator Series)
2024: Donna Stillman (Pizza B’Yachad)
Selection Committee
The selection committee will consist of the following individuals:
- 2 representatives of the Pappas Family
- Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Detroit
- Chief Financial Officer
- Chief Marketing Officer
- Chief Operating Officer
- Senior Director, Human Resources
- Past Pappas awardees
A quorum will be considered one-half of the committee, plus one.
Selection Process
- Nominations are made anonymously via online form, with a deadline of FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2025.
- All nominations are collated, and the Senior Director, Human Resources and Chief Operating Officer of the Federation meet to determine eligibility of the nominees. A meeting is then scheduled with the selection committee, as well as for the award presentation.
- The selection committee meets and reviews each nomination individually. Following discussion, a confidential ballot is passed out, and the selection committee members each receive one vote.
- The awardee is contacted by the CEO and Norm & Susie Pappas, congratulated, and informed of the award presentation date. The awardee and the committee are asked to keep the winner’s information confidential until the presentation.
- The award is presented at a full staff meeting of the Federation.
- Each awardee will receive $1,500 to be used for career development.
