In 2011, the profession and CoARC lost a true friend. Bonner Smith, JD, was a public member of the CoARC for over 13 years and served on almost every committee during his tenure.  In 2013, the CoARC established a new award named after Mr. Smith. The award recognizes one individual annually for demonstrating outstanding and enduring service to the profession of respiratory care through its educational accreditation system. The award is intended to honor individuals for exemplary contributions as members of the Commission or its predecessor Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education.(JRCRTE).


The award was presented posthumously to Mr. Smith in 2013 at the CoARC Awards Ceremony during the AARC Summer Forum in Orlando, FL. Accepting the award, on behalf of Mr. Smith, was his wife, Shelly, and his daughter, Bonny.

Shelley Mishoe, PhD, RRT, FASAHP was awarded the 2016 Bonner Smith Outstanding Service Award. Unfortunately, she was unable to attend the 2016 Awards Reception, but did attend the 2017 CoARC Awards Ceremony during the AARC Summer Forum in Tucson, AZ and was presented with her award at that time. Dr. Mishoe is Dean and Professor at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Mishoe began her service to CoARC in 2003 as our ASAHP representative.

She served as Chair of the CoARC from 2008 to 2010. Dr. Mishoe served on many committees, held several offices, and participated in a number of site visits. In 2016, Dr. Mishoe was again elected as the ASAHP representative to CoARC and is warmly welcomed as a returning Commissioner. We look forward to the continued support of CoARC and the profession by Dr. Mishoe through her extensive knowledge and experience.

Kathy Rye, EdD, RRT-ACCS, FAARC was awarded the 2017 Bonner Smith Outstanding Service Award. The presentation was made at the CoARC Awards Reception in Tucson, AZ in June. Dr. Rye is a Professor Emeritus at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR. Dr. Rye began serving on CoARC in 2008 as an American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) representative. Dr. Rye was elected to the President-Elect position beginning in 2013. Due to the sudden passing of the sitting President, Stephen P. Mikles, in July, 2013, Dr. Rye assumed the President's responsibilities during a very difficult time.

Dr. Rye served as President of CoARC for 2014 and 2015, is the currently serving as Immediate Past-President, and will complete her second term as AARC representative in 2019. Dr. Rye has been a long time site visitor for CoARC and has participated in numerous committees as a member and Chair. Dr. Rye has been an influential and steadfast member of the Commission and we are grateful for her service, leadership, and dedication to the profession.

DR. RALPH KENDALL NAMED CoARC COMMISSIONER EMERITUS

At the 2013 AARC Summer Forum, Dr. Ralph Kendall was named CoARC Commissioner Emeritus. Here is the resolution presented to Dr. Kendall as adopted by the Board of Commissioners on July 13, 2013.

The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) recognizes up to two active Site Visitors annually, for dedicated service and outstanding contributions to the CoARC’s mission of ensuring the high quality of respiratory care education. Nominations are made by the CoARC Commissioners.

nominee must have participated in at least three (3) CoARC site visits within the past two (2) years by the nomination deadline. In addition, nominees must not have any negative evaluations within the same two-year period, and have provided a special contribution to the site visit process.

The award was named for Dr. Ralph Kendall, MD as a permanent expression of CoARC’s grateful recognition of his outstanding service as a site visitor and mentor. Dr. Kendall became a site visitor for CoARC in 1989 and has performed approximately 28 site visits over the past 6 years. Dr. Kendall also served as Chair of the CoARC Site Visit Subcommittee from 2003 to 2009. His expertise and assistance to program personnel and in training new site visitors is unparalleled and through the establishment of this award will not be forgotten.

This year the CoARC elected to present the award to two recipients for the Outstanding Site Visitor of the Year: Ian Gilmour, MD and Kelli Chronister, MS, RRT, CPFT, NPS.

Ian Gilmour became a site visitor for the CoARC in 1988 and has played an indispensable role in his long association with the CoARC. He participated in 8 on-site reviews in 2015 and 14 total visits over the past 5 years. His dedication to the accreditation process has been seen in numerous ways by serving as a Commissioner, offering to assist with site visits on a short notice, training new site visitors, and serving as the Team Captain on complex on-site reviews.

Dr. Gilmour has been described by his peers as an excellent site visitor and team captain with a kind, helpful and professional approach. He is very organized, knowledgeable and clear about all aspects of the site visit process and the CoARC Standards. His dedication and long-term service to the CoARC should not go unnoticed.

Kelli Chronister became a site visitor for the CoARC in 2008 and has completed 11 site visits over the past 5 years. Ms. Chronister has served as a team captain, assisted with training new site visitors, and has offered to help with numerous site visits. She has been described by her peers as well prepared, professional, helpful, and thorough with a positive outlook that provides constructive feedback that will benefit the programs. Since Kelli is currently a Director of Clinical Education, her experience has been very helpful in providing valuable feedback on how to manage the clinical portion of a respiratory care program. The CoARC unquestionably values and appreciates her dedication to the accreditation process.

• 2010 - Michael W. Prewitt, PhD, RRT
• 2011 - Leann Papp, EdS, RN, RRT, RCP
• 2012 - Phyllis W. Brunner, BS, RRT
• 2013 - Monica Schibig, MA, RRT-NPS, CPFT
• 2014 - Diane Flatland, MS-RRT, NPS
• 2015 - Kelli Chronister, MS-RRT, CPFT, NPS
• 2015 - Ian Gilmour, MD
• 2016 - Thomas Baxter, EdD, RRT    

• 2017 - Thomas Harding, MS, RRT, RPFT

In selecting the 2016 Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Awardprograms for this recognition, the CoARC Board used objective criteria based on key accreditation metrics documented in the 2016 Annual Report of Current Status (RCS). These programs were required to: (1) have three or more years of outcomes data; (2) hold accreditation without a progress report; (3) document RRT credentialing success of 90% or above, and (4) meet or exceed established CoARC thresholds for CRT credentialing success, attrition and positive (job) placement. Seventy-Eight (88) out of approximately 460 programs in the country met these criteria. The CoARC extends its sincere congratulations to these programs, their faculty, students, and graduates for meeting these rigorous criteria. These recipients received the 2016 CoARC Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award certificate during a CoARC reception preceding the 2017 AARC Summer Forum. The video of the slide show of the programs that had representatives at the reception to accept the award is below.
 

Keep in mind that the conferral of this achievement award does not imply the CoARC's recommendation, endorsement or ranking of any program in relation to other CoARC-accredited programs. Publications or announcements of this award shall not imply such recommendation, endorsement, or ranking. The primary responsibility of CoARC is to accredit programs based on their compliance with established accreditation standards.
 

CLICK HERE for the slide show presentation of the recipients of the 2016 Distinquished RRT Credentialing Success Award during the AARC Summer Forum in Tucson, AZ. (it is a large file so it takes a few minutes to download)

Alvin Community College
American River College
Augusta University
Baker College
Bellarmine University
Borough of Manhattan Community College
Broward College
Casper College
Catawba Valley Community College
Chattanooga State Community College
Chippewa Valley Technical College
College of Southern Nevada
Collin College
Columbia State Community College
Columbus State Community College
Cuyahoga Community College
Dalton State College
Dixie State College of Utah
Dona Ana Community College
El Centro College
Florida SouthWestern State College
Foothill College
Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Greenville Technical College
Gulf Coast State College
Gwinnett Technical College
Gwynedd Mercy University
Harrisburg Area Community College
HCCS: Coleman College for Health Sciences
Henry Ford College
Indian River State College
Indiana Respiratory Therapy Ed Consortium
Johnson County Community College
Kapiolani Community College
Kettering College
Long Island University
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport
Macomb Community College/Detroit Macomb
Manchester Community College
Mansfield University
Marshall University/St. Mary's Medical Center
Midwestern State University
Millersville University
Monroe County Community College
Mountain Empire Community College
Mt. San Antonio College
Nassau Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Oconee Fall Line Technical College
Ohlone College
Oregon Institute of Technology
Ozarks Technical Community College
Pima Medical Institute-Denver
Polk State College
Prince George's Community College
Reading Area Community College
Rush University Medical Center
San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield
San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Cordova
Santa Fe College
Seattle Central College
Sinclair Community College
Skyline College
South Plains College - Lubbock Campus
Spartanburg Community College
Spokane Community College
St. Alexius Medical Center/University of Mary
St. Johns River State College
St. Petersburg College
Stony Brook University
SUNY Upstate Medical University
The Ohio State University
Tidewater Community College
University of Arkansas for Medical Science
University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
University of Toledo
Weatherford College
Weber State University
Weber State University-Davis Campus
Weber State University-Utah Valley
West Chester University/Bryn Mawr Hospital

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• 2007 Recipients