The Fraternity’s second oldest award for individual alumni is the Distinguished Merit Award. The Grand Council established the award in 1950. The award recognizes the meritorious achievement of a brother in his profession, his leadership to free enterprise, his dedicated service to his community, and in appreciation of those important qualities which are an inspiration to all members of the Fraternity.

2023 – Paul H. Phillips III ’91, Chief of Operations and partner within EY’s Financial Services Organization (FSO)
2022 – Norbert S. Hill, UW – Oshkosh ’65, Executive Director for the American Indian Graduate Center, Fellow for the Institute of Educational Leadership
2020 – Frederick P. McKenna, Jr., UNC Greensboro ’97 – Executive Director for Norfolk Navy Shipyard
2019 – Greg S. Brown, Truman State ’82 – President & CEO of Learfield IMG College
2018 – Nicholas R. Wilson, Indiana State ’04 – Department of Natural Resources Officer
2017 – Paul McMillen, Gamma Alpha ’66 – Special Assistant to the President for Advancement & External Relations at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
2016 – Payton “Pat” L. Phelps, Mu ‘58 – City Attorney (Durant, Oklahoma), Chief Judge for the Choctaw Nation, President of the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Alumni Association
2014 – John E. Link, Alpha Kappa ’67 – John E. Link Enterprises
2009 – Eric Hillman, Alpha Lambda ’83 – Founder and Owner, Europa Sports Products
2008 – Hon. Brad Ellsworth, Gamma Phi ‘80 – U. S. Congressman, Indiana 8th District
2007 – Albert Kuhn, Phi ’65 – Apollo Space Program Engineer, Strategic Arms Limitations (SALT) program engineer, and IBM Vice President responsible for information technology and telecommunications outsource services
2006 – James J. Benedict, Ph.D., Beta Rho ’66 – Research Chemist specializing in diseases of the bone, led Actonel team at Procter & Gamble
2004 – Hon. Ed Eilert, Delta ‘61 – Mayor (23 years), City of Overland Park, Kansas
2002 – R. Michael Webb, Alpha ’67 – Founder and CEO, U-Fuel Inc.
2001 – John L. Massey, Mu ’60 – Chairman and CEO, First United Bank (Oklahoma)
2000 – John W. “Jack” Haugsland, Beta Mu ’64 – Executive Vice President & COO, Greyhound Lines, Inc.
1999 – Albert F. “Duff” Young, Alpha Zeta 67 – President & CEO, Rehrig International, Inc.
1998 – Terry Lay, Epsilon ’69 – President, Leqe Apparel Co Inc.
1997 – R. Leroy Hunt, Alpha ’57 – Athletic Director, University of Missouri–Kansas City
1996 – Robert A. Libby, Ph.D., Beta ’60 – Research Chemist, Proctor & Gamble Co., led Pringles development team
1995 – Hon. John Ashcroft, Beta Hon. – U.S. Senator, State of Missouri & U.S. Attorney General
1994 – Nader Darehshori, Beta Mu ’65 – Chair, President, CEO, Houghton-Mifflin Co.
1992 – Hon. Mel Hancock, Omega ’51 – U.S. Congressman, Missouri 7th District
1991 – Maj. Gen. Wallace Graham*, M.D., Alpha ’32 – President Truman’s Personal Physician
1990 – Bill Stacy, Ph.D., Alpha Phi ’60 – President, California State University San Marcos
1989 – B. D. Hunter, Beta ’50 – Founder, CEO, Amedco Inc.
1988 – Charles F. Brady, Jr., Alpha ’65 – Vice President, Treasurer, Hunt Consolidated Inc.
1987 – Paul R. Carter, Upsilon ’64 – Director, Senior Vice President, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
1986 – Marvin Millsap*, Alpha ’26 – Chief of GM War Product Maintenance, WWII Entrepreneur in Automobile Dealerships, Banking, Agriculture, & Oil and Gas Drilling
1985 – Ralph C. Bedell* Ph.D., Alpha ’26 – Distinguished Education Professor, University of Missouri
1984 – Author Hughes, Jr., Ph.D., Alpha Alpha ’51 – President, University of San Diego
1983 – William H. Byler, Ph.D.*, Alpha ’27 – U.S. Radium Corp. Executive Vice President, Leading Luminescent Chemicals Researcher, Inventor of Black Light
1982 – E. Sheffield Nelson, Sigma ’62 – Chairman of Board & CEO Arkansas-Louisiana Gas Co.
1981 – J. P. Morgan*, Theta ’38 – Chief Justice, Missouri Supreme Court
1980 – Ronald Roskens, Ph.D., Alpha Eta ’54 – President, University of Nebraska
1979 – Robert P. Ewing*, Beta ’48 – President & Chairman of the Board Bankers Life and Casualty Co.
1978 – Richard Williams, Alpha Rho ’55 – Securities Industry Leader
1977 – C. Carney Smith*, Chi ’42 – Executive Vice President & CEO, National Association of Life Underwriters
1976 – O. Glen Hocker*, Beta ’20 – Founder, Dairy Queen International
1975 – Jack Peckinpaugh, Omicron ’50 – President, National Association of Life Underwriters and Million Dollar Roundtable
1974 – Hon. James C. Kirkpatrick*, Alpha ’29 – Missouri Secretary of State, elected five times (20 years)
1973 – D. Dee Brown*, Sigma ’31 – Best Selling Author of Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee
1972 – J. Lawrence Walkup, Ph.D.*, Alpha ’36 – President, Northern Arizona University
1971 – Ellsworth C. Dent*, Delta ’22 – Educational Consultant, Founder Coronet Films
1970 – M. A. Wright*, Gamma ’32 – Chairman of the Board, Exxon Oil, and Refining Co.

Alumni under the age of 40 at the time of recognition:

2020 – Michael S. McCarty, Florida Tech ’11
2019 – Gregory W. Ward, Alabama ’13 – Sigma Tau Gamma Director of Communications & SAGA Editor
2017 – Matthew Rea PhD., Epsilon Xi ’04 – Post-Doctoral Scholar at the University of Kentucky
2004 – Geoffrey S. Conner, Delta Epsilon ‘85 – Texas Secretary of State
2002 – Paul Joseph Mitchell, Carnegie Mellon ’92 – United States Navy F14 Flight Officer
2001 – Eric Udler, Beta Pi ’90 – Founder & President, FSI Trade Show & Electronic Marketing