New York, NY, July 1998 - Professional Examination Service (PES) is pleased to announce the selection of Sunny Andrews, LCSW, Dr. P.H., as the recipient of the 1998 Lillian D. Terris Award for Distinguished Board Service. Named in honor of the first president of PES, the award recognizes an individual whose service contributions have enhanced the public and professional understanding of the missions of credentialing organizations and the meaning associated with professional credentials.

Andrews is currently Professor and Director of the School of Social Work at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He receives the 1998 Lillian D. Terris Award in recognition of the exceptional leadership and dedication he has brought to promoting the value of social work licensure on behalf of the American Association of State Social Work Boards (AASSWB).

Andrews has contributed more than 10 years of professional service to social work regulation and has played key leadership roles in both the AASSWB and the Council on Social Work Education. He became president of the AASSWB in 1993, at a time when the cohesiveness of the organization was under threat because of internal disagreements over a variety of issues, including bylaws and funding. A committed advocate of the credentialing process, Andrews worked tirelessly to convince the membership of the need for a national association for social work regulatory boards as well as the importance of uniform standards as a means of assuring public protection. His leadership was instrumental in restoring professional unity within the AASSWB and in building a strong national examination and a comprehensive system of disciplinary action. Andrews' work to reduce barriers to professional mobility across the states and his commitment to assuring minimum levels of competency have fostered both public and professional confidence in social work licensure.

Nominations for the 1998 Lillian D. Terris Award were judged by: Barbara Bloom Kreml, M.S.I.R., an independent consultant with expertise in credentialing issues; Clarence Pearson, M.P.H., past member of the PES Board of Directors; and Randolph P. Reaves, J.D., Executive Director of the Federation of Associations of Regulatory Boards, and Executive Officer and General Counsel of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.

Lillian D. Terris, Ph.D., is a recognized leader in the credentialing field. She joined the Merit System Unit of the American Public Health Association (APHA) in 1943, and became its president in 1971 when the unit separated from the APHA to form the Professional Examination Service. Terris retired as President of PES in 1979, and has continued to serve as President Emeritus of the PES Board of Directors since that time. She has published widely on the assessment of professionals for licensure and certification and has advised many occupational groups on issues related to test development.

Professional Examination Service is a not-for-profit testing organization whose mission is to promote the understanding and use of sound credentialing practices. PES achieves its mission by providing comprehensive services and making contributions to credentialing stakeholders in the areas of assessment practice, educational activities, scientific research, and policy development.

Recognition of an individual for distinguished board service is one of several annual PES awards. For more information about the PES awards program and other public service activities, please contact: Karen Cullen, Senior Manager, Public Service Activities, Professional Examination Service, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115-0089, (212) 367-4276, fax: (212) 367-4266, e-mail: mission@proexam.org.

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