VMSMA's Annual Maple Awards

Honoring Our Members, Recognizing Best Practices

Any time is a great time for our members to nominate a Vermont sugar maker for one of our Maple Awards! VMSMA honors individuals, families and businesses from our maple community in three categories each year - just in time to be recognized at our Annual Winter Conference. Let us know who the Board should consider for this year's awards!

We've provided information on each Award below with guidelines for voting in our nomination form. Please nominate folks for one, two or three different awards and tell us why they're a perfect fit for that Award. Recipients must be VMSMA members (but if you're not sure, we can look into that once we review nominations). Nominations are due by Monday, November 3, 2025!

Outstanding Sugar Maker

The Outstanding Sugar Maker award is presented annually to a Vermont sugar maker and is nominated by the Vermont Sugar Makers Association Board of Directors plus any standing committee chairs not on the Board. The VMSMA Board selects a Vermont sugar maker, individual, or family who sets a good example for other sugar makers to follow in cleanliness, food safety and production practices. In addition, nominees for this award help the maple industry by participating in county and statewide fairs to promote and educate future sugar makers and the general public on the benefits of pure Vermont maple syrup.

Outstanding Sugar Maker Award Recipients

2024 Outstanding Sugar Maker: The Stewart Family of Stewart Maple, Cuttingsville VT

Vermont Maple Person of the Year

This award is presented by the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association Board to someone whose work benefits the entire maple industry and who may or may not be a sugar maker themselves.

Vermont Maple Person of the Year Recipients

2024 Vermont Maple Person of the Year: Jason Gagne, Swanton VT

Sumner Williams Lifetime Achievement Award

This award, previously called the “President’s Award” was renamed in January 2000 in memory of Sumner Williams, then assistant director of the UVM Proctor Maple Research Center. Sumner was a sugar maker, a researcher, an educator and a true friend to the maple industry. The Sumner Hill Williams Memorial Cup is presented each year to honor an individual for outstanding service and dedication to the maple industry.

Sumner Williams Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

Annual Maple Awards