CMC Service Awards

To honor those that make a difference, the chorus honors its volunteers every year by presenting two CMC Service Awards for outstanding contributions.

Ken DeLong Service Award

This award is presented to a Chorus member who has rendered outstanding service to the Chorus.

Ken Delong, a longtime member of CMC, did Public Relations work (press releases, etc.) for the chorus, as well as putting together the program in the early years of the chorus. Ken died of cancer about seven years ago. Because of his outstanding devotion to the chorus, the CMC member award was named after him.

    • 1993 Jerry Kramer

    • 1994 Jim Swanson

    • 1995 Unknown

    • 1996 Uknown

    • 1997 John Mann

    • 1998 Skip Merten

    • 1999 Joan Lang

    • 2000 Damian Dagenbach

    • 2001 Ron Shaw

    • 2002 No Award Given

    • 2003 Jerry Barge and Darryl Dravland

    • 2004 Donald Kemper

    • 2005 Steve Hutzel

    • 2006 Mark Johnson

    • 2007 Berni Finfrock

    • 2008 No Award Given

    • 2009 Tom Vaughn

    • 2010 George Sarofeen

    • 2011 Mark Wert

    • 2012 Tim Butz

    • 2014 Eric DeForest

    • 2015 Brian Reynolds

    • 2016 Donald Kemper

    • 2017 Eric Knechtges

    • 2020 No Award Given (Covid)

    • 2021 No Award Given (Covid)

    • 2022 Phil Penny

    • 2023 Matt McFee

    • 2024 Chris Janzen

David Fischer Voluntary Service Award

This award is presented to a member of the community who serves the Chorus in a non-singing voluntary role supporting the chorus.

David Fischer, a dear friend to the underwriters and presenters of the award George Sarofeen and David Ferguson, volunteered to be the house manager for the concerts during the first two years of CMC existence. His dedication made the shows run smoothly, and the quiet humbleness in which he performed his duties made his diligence unknown to most CMC members.

Before David died of AIDS in 1994, Sarofeen and Ferguson told him that they would create an award in his honor to community members who support the chorus.

    • 1993 Jerry Kramer

    • 1994 Jim Swanson

    • 1995 Unknown

    • 1996 Uknown

    • 1997 John Mann

    • 1998 Skip Merten

    • 1999 Joan Lang

    • 2000 Damian Dagenbach

    • 2001 Ron Shaw

    • 2002 No Award Given

    • 2003 Jerry Barge and Darryl Dravland

    • 2004 Donald Kemper

    • 2005 Steve Hutzel

    • 2006 Mark Johnson

    • 2007 Berni Finfrock

    • 2008 No Award Given

    • 2009 Tom Vaughn

    • 2010 George Sarofeen

    • 2011 Mark Wert

    • 2012 Tim Butz

    • 2014 Eric DeForest

    • 2015 Brian Reynolds

    • 2016 Donald Kemper

    • 2017 Eric Knechtges

    • 2020 No Award Given (Covid)

    • 2021 No Award Given (Covid)

    • 2022 Phil Penny

    • 2023 Matt McFee

    • 2024 Chris Janzen

Christopher Rees Petersen Legacy Award

This award is presented to a community member outside of the CMC who has been at the forefront of issues affecting our community and/or who has taken the lead in the fight for equality. Chris Petersen was one of a hand full of people who envisioned a chorus for gay men and their supporters, to not only make music, but to make a community. Chris worked tirelessly along with the help of a few good men and women to create the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus. Chris led the chorus as founder, President and member of the bass section. The CMC would not exist today, were it not for Chris’s vision, dedication and love for the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus.

    • 1993 Jerry Kramer

    • 1994 Jim Swanson

    • 1995 Unknown

    • 1996 Uknown

    • 1997 John Mann

    • 1998 Skip Merten

    • 1999 Joan Lang

    • 2000 Damian Dagenbach

    • 2001 Ron Shaw

    • 2002 No Award Given

    • 2003 Jerry Barge and Darryl Dravland

    • 2004 Donald Kemper

    • 2005 Steve Hutzel

    • 2006 Mark Johnson

    • 2007 Berni Finfrock

    • 2008 No Award Given

    • 2009 Tom Vaughn

    • 2010 George Sarofeen

    • 2011 Mark Wert

    • 2012 Tim Butz

    • 2014 Eric DeForest

    • 2015 Brian Reynolds

    • 2016 Donald Kemper

    • 2017 Eric Knechtges

    • 2020 No Award Given (Covid)

    • 2021 No Award Given (Covid)

    • 2022 Phil Penny

    • 2023 Matt McFee

    • 2024 Chris Janzen