Platinum Level Distinction In Achieving Excellence Program (2020-2021)

The Vassar B. Carlton Inn of Court has received notice from our Chapter Relations Director, Pam Wittman, that the Inn has once again achieved Platinum Level Distinction in the Achieving Excellence Program for 2020-2021. The Inn has achieved Platinum Level Distinction each year since 2010. Platinum Level Distinction is the highest level of distinction an Inn may reach, above the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels.

The Achieving Excellence program is designed to encourage effective practices in the five core competencies of Inn management. It is a tiered, achievement-based program that recognizes activities in which Inns are already involved and builds on an Inn's successes. Each level recognizes an Inn's progress toward mastering these core competencies of Administration, Communications, Programs, Mentoring, and Outreach Activities. The Inn will be recognized in the Bencher, the American Inn of Court website, the Celebration of Excellence event program, and a Certificate of Achievement will be presented by our chapter relations director at an Inn meeting.

National - Best Special Project Team Award

Presented February 13, 2019

The Inn had the distinction of receiving the Best Special Project Team Award. The team presentation helped to train and assign over 20 new Attorney Ad Litem candidates to provide much needed representation of minors involved in Dependency proceedings.

Pam Wittmann, Director of Chapter Relations, Southeast Region, traveling from the national office in Alexandria, Virginia, presented the award to the team on February 13, 2019, at a special joint meeting between the Vassar B. Carlton American Inn and the George C. Young American Inn.

The Team was lead by Captain - Scarlett Davidson and Members - Scott Blaue, Judge Kelly McKibben, Mark Peters, Joseph Culmer, Magistrate Robert Segal, Ruth Singer, Christopher Hinkel, Jay Thakkar, Bonnie Rhoden, Deborah L. Dye and Lesley Lanton.

  

2020 Membership Awards

(presented 2021)

• Best Team Presentation - Team 1 ("A Virtual Mediation")

• John D. Moxley, Jr., Mentor of the Year – Thomas W. Tierney

• Clarence T. Johnson, Jr., Member of the Year – Roger W. Klaffka

• Associate of the Year – Cassidy Petersen Conti

• Appreciation/Outstanding Contribution – Amy Romaine and Patricia Smith

• Hammy – Judge Aaron Peacock

2019 Annual Banquet

The Vassar B. Carlton Inn of Court held its Annual Banquet on May 17, 2019, at the Rockledge Country Club. During the event, the Inn welcomed its new members and recognized the outstanding achievements and performance of its existing members during the awards ceremony.

However, the Inn had the distinct pleasure and high honor of having as its guest speaker, Florida Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Luck. Justice Luck gave a thoughtful and in-depth speech that chronicled the life of our Inn's namesake, Justice Vassar B. Carlton. Justice Luck's speech highlighted the character and values that Vassar B. Carlton exhibited as a young man, judge and justice, and recognized the hard work of the Inn to exhibit those traits.

Justice Luck's speech can be found here.

Membership Award Winners

• Best Team Presentation - Team 6 ("Erasing Your Cyber-Presence") 

• Frank R. Pound Presenter of the Year - Gregory Eisenmenger

• John D. Moxley, Jr., Mentor of the Year - Lesley Abbott

• Clarence T. Johnson, Jr., Member of the Year - Ruth Singer

• Barrister of the Year - Eve Travis

• Associate of the Year - Shantanu Patel

• Appreciation/Outstanding Contribution - Maureen Matheson

• Hammy - Julie Glocker Pierce
  

 

Circle of Excellence Award

The Vassar B. Carlton American Inn of Court in Melbourne recently garnered national recognition by being awarded with the Circle of Excellence Distinction for excellence in administrative procedures, community outreach, educational programming, and its mentoring program. Pam Wittmann, Director of Chapter Relations, Southeast Region, traveling from the national office in Alexandria, Virginia, presented the award on November 4, 2009 to the membership at the monthly Inn meeting. The Inn was presented with a certificate and the members of the executive committee earned special lapel pins for their efforts.

The Vassar B. Carlton Inn of Court is one of 342 in the nation, and one of only 22 Inns to be recognized for excellence, ranking it in the top 6% of Inns nationwide. The organization is designed to improve the skills, professionalism, and ethics of the bench and bar. As noted in the letter of congratulations, the Inn "exemplifies the integrity, professionalism, and dedication to the highest standards of effective administration, program development, and the legal profession."

Pictured from left to right: 18th Judicial Circuit Judge Dean Moxley (RET), Attorney Steve Charpentier, Attorney Clifton McClelland, Brevard County Court Judge Dave Silverman, Brevard County Court Judge Kelly McKibben, Attorney Joan Berry Nassar, Brevard County Judge Michelle Baker, 18th Judicial Circuit Public Defender (RET) JR Russo and Pam Wittmann from the national office of the American Inns of Court in background.