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The National Guard associations of North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas were honorees at the National Guard Executive Directors’ Association’s first “Oscars” last week in Indianapolis, as part of the annual NGEDA meeting.
The expanded awards program and ceremony recognized standout programs, partnerships and lifetime contributions across the state/territory Guard association community, said Maria Kelly, the NGEDA secretary.
NGEDA meets every January in the host city of that year’s annual NGAUS conference to share information, conduct association business and prepare for the big event, including hotel selection. The 148th General Conference & Exhibition Conference is set for Aug. 28-31.
Tennessee won the 2025 NGEDA Membership Award for the state association with the best NGAUS membership program. Byron Deel is Tennessee’s executive director.
The Volunteer State sold the most annual NGAUS memberships and achieved 100% national association membership for the 23rd consecutive year.
The Arkansas, Missouri, New Hampshire and South Carolina associations were also nominated for the membership award.
The 2025 NGEDA Communications Award for the state association with the best communications program went to Texas. Marvin Harris is Texas’ executive director.
NGEDA honored the Lone Star State for delivering “coordinated multichannel communications connecting Guard members, families, partners and policymakers to better serve the force.”
The Arkansas, North Carolina and Puerto Rico associations were also nominated for the communications award.
The first State Association Industry Partnership Award went to North Carolina. Christine Quante is North Carolina’s executive director.
The Tar Heel State received the award for its “innovative approaches to industry engagement, including a 200% increase in corporate partnership (2023-2025), expanded sponsor communications and rapid mobilization of support following Hurricane Helene in 2024.”
NGEDA also presented its highest individual honor, the Colonel James Gamble Award, to James Simms, the executive director of the National Guard Association of Kentucky.
It also bestowed honorary life memberships on Deel and retired Brig. Gen. J. Roy Robinson, a former NGAUS president and onetime executive director of the National Guard Association of Mississippi.
The Armed Forces Benefit Association sponsored the awards ceremony and dinner.
NGEDA also elected its 2026 executive committee at the meeting. Elizabeth Jara, the Arkansas executive director, is president; Jeff Coomler, the Indiana executive director, is first vice president; T.J. Pierce, the Michigan executive director, is second vice president; Corie Lucero, the Utah executive director, is immediate past president/treasurer; and Anthony James, with the National Guard Association of Arkansas, is the elected officer representative.
In addition, Terri Marshall, the Texas insurance administrator, and Len Gratteri, the Delaware insurance administrator and executive director, were re-elected to a second three-year term on the NGEDA Payroll Deduction Coordinating Board.
The PDCB coordinates with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service on behalf of the 54 states and territories payroll deductions for state-sponsored life insurance programs.
Award recipients received a trophy, and their names will appear on a plaque that will be displayed in the National Guard Museum at the NGAUS headquarters.
—By John Goheen
