W.A.D. Recognition of Professionals: Awards

Members are asked to submit recommendations for the W.A.D. Awards. All nominations should be submitted to The Executive Director.There are four awards presented annually by the President at the Annual Conference Gala Banquet. Nominations for all the Awards should contain a brief account of the service and contributions given to the profession by the nominee which qualifies him or her for the award in question. Members cannot nominate themselves for Awards. 

Norman J. Sloan Memorial Award

Established in 1985, The Norman J. Sloan Memorial Award is The World Association of Detectives' highest honor and is presented at the Annual Conference. The recipients are W.A.D.'s members who have demonstrated outstanding service to the Association, and who have contributed their time, energy, leadership and dedication to the betterment of the investigation and security professions.
 

2017 Jacob Ofir

2016 Matthias Willenbrink

2015 Chuck McLaughlin

2014 Vladimir Solomanidin

2013 Warren Mallard ( posthumously )

2012 Phil Stuto

2011 Siti Subaidah Naidu

2010 A. Dale Wunderlich

2009 Werner E Sachse

2008 John Talaganis

2007 Larry Webb

2006 J.D. Vinson, Jr.

2005 Maureen Jacques-Turner

2004 Gavino Pireda

2003 Neal H. Holmes, Sr.

2002 James O. King

2001 Sumio Hiroshima

2000 Rockne F. Cooke

1999 William J. Lapworth

1998 Robert A. Heales

1997 Richard D. Jacques-Turner

1996 Kathleen M. Cummings

1995 Samuel H. Webster

1994 Joseph D. Vinson

1993 Claude E. “Bert” Hinds

1992 Christopher Nolan

1991 Charlie E. Dennis, Jr.

1990 Jerrold R. Poth

1989 Jack P. Henebry

1988 David Almog

1987 Harold K. Lipset

1986 Vance I. Morris, Jr.

1985 Norman J. Sloan

Investigator of the Year

A cup presented to the World Association of Detectives by Past President Zena Scott-Archer on behalf of the Association of British Investigators 'in friendship' in 1976 in Brighton, England and is to be awarded to a W.A.D. member who has demonstrated outstanding professional service or achievement in the calendar year, or who has performed an outstanding investigation in the best traditions of the profession.

Neal Holmes Sr./J.D. Vinson, Jr. Security Professional of the Year Award

This award honors members in the security field who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, and business acumen in an entrepreneurial endeavor.  Renamed in 2003 in memory of Life Member Neal Holmes, Sr., and again in 2015 prior to the passing of Past President J.D. Vinson, Jr., recognizing the long friendship of these two men and their contributions and leadership to WAD and the security profession.

Past Award Recipients

2023 Dr. Sylvester Okere

2022 R.P. Chauhan

2021 - No Winner - COVID

2020 - No Winner - COVID

2018 Bernhard Maier

2017 Christine Vinson

2016

2015 -

2014 Fernando Molina

2013 -

2012 Mike Duffy

2011 Ponnosamy Kalastree

2010 Brendan Mallen, CPP

2009 -

2008 Nigel Brown

2007 A. Dale Wunderlich

2006 -

2005 Raymond A. Pendleton

2004 Rashid Ali Malik,

2003 Larry A. Webb

2002 -

2001 Sergey Morozov

2000 J D Vinson, Jr

1999 Neal Holmes Sr.

1998 Celine M. Estill

1997 Kimberly U. King

1996 Major S.S. Shah

1995 Kadish Shermister

Hal Lipset Truth in Action Award

This award originated in 1967 when it was introduced by the Officers and Board of W.A.D. as The 'Truth in Action' award. It is presented to an individual for service to mankind by outstanding acts of compassion or heroism or leadership or achievement and service outside of W.A.D. in the fields of private investigation, private security, criminal justice, jurisprudence, or technical and scientific expertise. In 1998 the name of the award was changed to the 'Hal Lipset Memorial Truth in Action Award' in honor of Past President Hal Lipset. The recipient is normally chosen by the local host, or in their absence by the Conference and Mid-Term Committee with approval by the Awards Committee.

Past Award Recipients

 2022 Mickey Foundation -Aruba 

2021 - No Winner - COVID

2020 - No Winner - COVID

2018 Lt. Randy Sutton, Retired, Las Vegas Metro Police, Las Vegas, USA

2017 Dhirendra Pundir, Senior Editor of News Nation, New Delhi India

2016 Dan Fleseriu, Eagle Security International, Bucharest, Romania

2015 Dr. Peter Collins, Forensic Psychiatrist with Ontario Provincial Police

2014 Tim McKinnell, Local Private Investigator

2013 Professor Vincenzo Mastronardi, Rome Italy

2012 Bob Ward of Boston’s FOX 25 News

2011 Priscilla Lui - Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights

2010 Kenneth de Martino of Guard and Warden Services House Ltd, Malta

2009 Leslie De Mello Barreira Leitao – Journalist, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2008 Julia Ormond - International stage and film star, Epsom, Surrey, England, UK

2007 Horst Oertle - Police Officer, Zurich, Switzerland

2006 Sumio Hiroshima - WAD Member, Tokyo, Japan

2005 John Walsh - National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

2004 Gennady N. Zaitsev - The Hero of the Soviet Union, Moscow, Russia

2003 Jimmie N. Mesis - Publisher, PI Magazine, Cedar Grove, New Jersey, USA

2002 Eddy L. McClain - WAD Member, Glendora, California, USA

2001 Professor Dr. Gunther Geserick – Berlin, Germany

2000 Dato’ Lee Lam Thye, DPMP, JMN - Malaysia

1999 David Protess - Professor of Journalism, Northwestern Univ., Evanston, Illinois

1998 Major General N. Vishwanathan - Crriminal Investigator, India

1997 Jan Blaauw - Former Chief of Police, Amsterdam

1996 Howard Tagamori - Chief of Police, Maui, Hawaii, USA

1995 Claude Poirier - Investigative Reporter, Montreal, Canada

1994 Guy Shipler - Investigative Reporter, Reno Nevada, USA

1993 Robert Tur - Helicopter Reporter, Los Angeles, California, USA

1992 Louis Tobback - Minister of the Interior, Brussels, Belgium

1991 Rafe Mair - Investigative Reporter/Radio Host, Vancouverm Canada

1990 John Moore - Ireland

1989 Chief Inspector Barry Dunn, Australia

1988 Mike Silva - Helicopter Pilot, KCNC-TV, Denver, Colorado, USA

1987 Abby Nathan - Israel

1986 Wilfred D. Anthony - WAD Member, Singapore

1985 Janes Conway

1984 Y. Katoor - India

1983 Larry Price - Hawaii, USA

1982 Raniero Rossi - WAD Member, Purugio, Italy

1981 Robert List - Governor of Nevada, USA

1980 Herbert Y.H. Liang - Hong Kong

1979 Dr. Alton Ochsner – President Emeritus, Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation,

                                           New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

1978 Jousimaa Kyosti – Inspector General, Finland

1977 Bob Mayer – News Correspondent, Miami, Florida, USA

1975 William J. Keating – Former Member of U.S. Congress

1973 Ellis Sandlin – WAD Member

1967 William J. Raggio – D.A., Reno, Nevada, USA