An award to recognize and create a permanent record of those who have
provided outstanding service as Recognized/Certified judges was approved by the Board of Directors on April 16, 2016. Recipients must have been recognized and/or certified by the national authority and have served in the GYA for at least 5 years. This award is to be given only to those that are no longer actively engaged in judging and should only go to those that have performed long and meritorious service to the sport of sailing. Nominations for this award may be made by any active GYA Certified Judge and the status may only be awarded by unanimous vote of the GYA Executive Committee and the GYA Administrative Judge. The award may be made posthumously.
On September 5, 2016, as part of the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup Regatta trophy presentation, the award was presented for the first time. The first six recipients are all deceased. Commodore Catherine Cromartie and Rear Commodore/GYA Administrative Judge Chris Luppens made the presentations to representatives of their families.
| Marshall J. Brown | FWYC | 2016 |
| Norton W. Brooker Jr. | MYC | 2016 |
| Walter G. Chamberlain | BWYC | 2016 |
| Calvin Jones, III | FWYC | 2016 |
| Capt. Peter A. Morrill | BWYC | 2016 |
| Francois D. Valliant | PYC | 2016 |
| Henry G “Harry” Chapman | BWYC/SYC | 2023 |
| Lawrence W. Taggert | SYC | 2023 |
| Lewis B. “Buddy” Pollak, Sr. | PYC | 2023 |