Marty Mitchell Outstanding Service Award

ASTA’s Executive Committee has developed this award to acknowledge an ASTA volunteer who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to volunteerism and to the success of the association.

This award was developed in memory of Marty Mitchell, who passed away peacefully on December 19, 2021, after a four-year battle with Leukemia.

Marty was a long-standing, dedicated member of our association. He served on the Food Safety Committee and as an Associate Group representative on the Board of Directors and was instrumental in crafting many major ASTA resources that we all benefit from today. He was known to many members as a leading voice in the industry and was a regular presenter at our events. We are so thankful for his immense contributions to ASTA’s legacy.

Marty acquired Certified Laboratories in 1972 and continued to be actively involved until his passing. Marty, together with his son Steven, grew  Certified Labs from a small local laboratory with 20 employees to what is now an international laboratory with more than 2000 employees.

2023 Recipient      

 2022 Recipient
 Timothy Sonntag, Wixon   Greg Sommerville, Frontier Co-op

Volunteers are critical to the execution of ASTA’s strategic goals and objectives. The criteria in selecting for the Marty Mitchell Outstanding Service Award are as follows:

  • Must be a representative from an Active or Associate member in good standing
  • Must demonstrate outstanding service to the Association through engagement in one or more of the following areas to support and further ASTA’s mission and goals:
    • Presentation at meetings and events
    • Committee and task force participation and leadership
    • Serving as an outstanding member resource by providing industry expertise
    • Execution of special projects
    • Promotion of ASTA and the industry
    • Fostering collaboration and positive relationships within the spice industry

Recipients are nominated by the ASTA staff and confirmed by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. In years that there are worthy recipients, the award is presented during the ASTA Annual Meeting.