Corrections_Today_Winter_2024-2025_Vol.86_No.4

E.R. Cass Award Banquet

Classic setting for E.R. Cass Award Banquet

2024 E.R. Cass Award recipient — Art Beeler.

2024 E.R. Cass Award recipient — Doug Dretke.

T he E.R. Cass Award banquet, held Friday August 16 th and honoring Arthur “Art” Beeler and Douglas “Doug” Dretke, found itself in a surprising place. Instead of a local hotel ballroom, the Cass Award banquet was held at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, a world class performance venue featuring the best of modern and tradition al elements in the heart of downtown Nashville. The Cass Award is named in honor of E.R. Cass, who dedicated more than 50 years of his life to corrections. He served as general secretary of ACA for 40 years. President Denise Robinson opened the proceedings with welcoming remarks and an introduction of every Cass Award winner who was present. 1977 Cass award winner Thomas J. Mangogna led off the all-star litany which ended with 2011 E.R .Cass award winner Dr. Lannette Linthicum stepping to the podium to read the E.R. Cass Award citations. “For his decades of outstanding service to the corrections profession and to the public which he so faithfully served; we are proud to honor Art Beeler with the E.R. Cass award,” Dr. Linthicum concluded. 154 TH CONGRESS OF CORRECTION

Instead of a local hotel ballroom, the Cass Award banquet was held at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, a world class performance venue featuring

the best of modern and traditional elements in the heart of downtown Nashville.

Beeler began his acceptance speech by not ing his relationship to his fellow correctional professionals: “I want to say this is not my recognition alone. In fact, it’s a recognition for the thousands of

Corrections Today | Winter 2024-2025

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