Compiled & Written by Jodi Christel Becker
Published in 2015
Updated in 2025
Published in 2015
Updated in 2025
Author's Note
The Utah Association of the Deaf Bulletins
We are thrilled to announce that all bulletins from the Utah Association of the Deaf, dating back to 1954, have been successfully scanned and uploaded to our website! Just click on the link to explore them. A big thank you to Philippe Montalette and Stephen Persinger for their dedication to compiling and maintaining the UAD Bulletins and to Rob Kerr for his outstanding work in scanning each one.
In addition, you'll find valuable information about the prestigious awards given by the Utah Association of the Deaf, including their significance and a list of past recipients. We have also gathered a comprehensive collection of our official logos along with their meanings for you to discover.
Thank you for taking the time to visit our webpage. We hope you enjoy exploring our rich history and the resources we've created!
Enjoy!
Jodi Christel Becker
In addition, you'll find valuable information about the prestigious awards given by the Utah Association of the Deaf, including their significance and a list of past recipients. We have also gathered a comprehensive collection of our official logos along with their meanings for you to discover.
Thank you for taking the time to visit our webpage. We hope you enjoy exploring our rich history and the resources we've created!
Enjoy!
Jodi Christel Becker
The Utah Association of the Deaf Awards
I've gone through the hard copy of the UAD Bulletins and put together a list of individuals who have received the President's Award and the Golden Hand Award. Please note that there may be a few names missing at this time. I will double-check the digitized UAD Bulletins to verify all the details. I hope the names and years I've gathered are helpful for now!
President's Award
The President's Award is presented to individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions or achieved significant accomplishments. The final selection is determined by the president of the Utah Association of the Deaf. I have reviewed the physical copies of UAD Bulletins and compiled a list of award recipients. It is important to note that we may need to add more names to this list to ensure its completeness. With our UAD Bulletins now digitized, we will work on validating the data. Below is a list of names, along with the years they received the award, based on the information I have gathered as accurately as possible.
The Recipients of the President's Award
- Tim Funk, 1987
- Madelaine Perkins, 1991
- John (Jack) F. White, 1991
- Rodney W. Walker, 1991
- Gene D. Stewart, 1991
- W. David Mortensen, 1991
- Barbara Bass, 1993
- Kenneth L. Kinner, 1993
- Jane Bell, 1993
- Lynn Losee, 1993
- W. David Mortensen, 1993
- Mary Sanderson, 1993
- Robert G. Sanderson, 1993
- Shirley H. Platt, 1993
- Ann Thatcher, 1993
- Patricia Walker, 1993
- Lloyd L. Perkins, 1993
- Eleanor McCowan, 2002
- Peter M. Green, 2002
- Rod Fifield Sprint, 2002
- Utah Basketball Team Utah Women’s Camp, 2002
- USDB Academic Bowl Team, 2003
- Joe Zeidner, 2004
- Osmond Crosby, 2004
- Jodi Christel Becker, 2009
- Valerie G. Kinney, 2011
- Sego Lily Center for the Abused Deaf, 2013
- Adele Sigoda, 2015
- ASL Communication (Interpreter Agency), 2017
- Ronald Nelson, 2019
Golden Hand Award
The Utah Association of the Deaf recognizes individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to the community through the prestigious "Golden Hand Award." Nominations are collected from the Utah Deaf community, and the Golden Hand Committee selects the recipient. This award is given every two years to recognize those who have significantly enhanced the lives of the Utah Deaf community.
While the National Association of the Deaf originally established the Golden Hand Award, it was formally introduced by the Utah Association of the Deaf in 1979. The criteria for receiving this award are as follows:
While the National Association of the Deaf originally established the Golden Hand Award, it was formally introduced by the Utah Association of the Deaf in 1979. The criteria for receiving this award are as follows:
- Any individual or organization that has made a substantial contribution to improving the Utah Deaf community may be nominated.
- Individuals must not have received pay for volunteer work, and organizations must not have paid individuals to do volunteer work.
- Programs with paid staff may be nominated under an agency, but the extent of salaried activities must be clearly indicated on the nomination statement.
- Volunteer activities must have been performed within the state of Utah.
- Screening committee members may not submit nominations.
- Individuals and groups may submit as many separate nominations as desired.
The Recipients of the Golden Hand Award
- W. David Mortensen, 1979
- Robert G. Sanderson, 1979
- Valerie G. Platt, 1981
- St. Mary Magdalene Club for the Deaf, 1983
- Lloyd L. Perkins, 1985
- Celia May Laramie Baldwin, 1987
- Beth Ann Campbell, 1989
- Peter M. Green, 1991
- Rodney W. Walker, 1993
- Lucy M. Greenwood, 1995
- Robert J. Welsh, 1997
- Mae Wilding Diaz, Jeff J. Allen and UDEAL, 1999
- Barbara A. Bass, 2002
- Dennis R. Platt, 2004
- Sorenson Communications, 2007
- Association of Deaf Children, 2009
- Jodi Christel Becker, 2013
- Philippe Montalette, 2015
- Marilyn T. Call, 2017
- Joene Nicholaisen, 2017
- Stephanie Lowder Mathis, 2017
- Justin Anderson, 2017
- Michelle Tanner, 2019,
- Joel Coleman, 2019
- Pamela Mower, 2019
- Matt Willahan, 2019
Logos of the
Utah Association of the Deaf
Utah Association of the Deaf
In 1975, the Utah Association for the Deaf achieved an important milestone in its history. Don Mortensen, a hearing person and brother of W. David Mortensen, the organization's president, designed a logo that would become an integral part of our historical identity. The board of directors unanimously approved this symbol, which the UAD has proudly embraced since its inception, on June 8, 1975.
As shown in the photo, the rotating arrows in the logo symbolize the UAD's continuous advocacy. The choice of blue, perhaps reflecting the colors of the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind from the 1950s, further connects the logo to the Deaf community. The logo tints one of the arrows a lighter blue to enhance visibility. Additionally, the logo features a beehive that symbolizes the organization's and its members' hard work (UAD Bulletin, June 1975, p. 3; 2005 UAD General Conference Minutes).
As shown in the photo, the rotating arrows in the logo symbolize the UAD's continuous advocacy. The choice of blue, perhaps reflecting the colors of the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind from the 1950s, further connects the logo to the Deaf community. The logo tints one of the arrows a lighter blue to enhance visibility. Additionally, the logo features a beehive that symbolizes the organization's and its members' hard work (UAD Bulletin, June 1975, p. 3; 2005 UAD General Conference Minutes).
The beehive with the bees in the center of the logo is similar to the Utah state seal.
State of Utah Motto
"Industry" officially became the state motto on March 4, 1959. The industry is associated with the symbol of the beehive. The early pioneers had few material resources and, therefore, had to rely on their own industry to survive. The word "industry" appears on both the State Seal and the State Flag.
State of Utah Emblem
The beehive also became the official state emblem on March 4, 1959. Utahns relate the beehive symbol to industry and the pioneer virtues of thrift and perseverance.
In 2009, the UAD emblem underwent a slight modification in celebration of the association's 100th anniversary. The change involved altering the color of the name "Utah Association for the Deaf" from black to white, as depicted in the photo (Valerie Kinney, personal communication, February 19, 2012).
State of Utah Motto
"Industry" officially became the state motto on March 4, 1959. The industry is associated with the symbol of the beehive. The early pioneers had few material resources and, therefore, had to rely on their own industry to survive. The word "industry" appears on both the State Seal and the State Flag.
State of Utah Emblem
The beehive also became the official state emblem on March 4, 1959. Utahns relate the beehive symbol to industry and the pioneer virtues of thrift and perseverance.
In 2009, the UAD emblem underwent a slight modification in celebration of the association's 100th anniversary. The change involved altering the color of the name "Utah Association for the Deaf" from black to white, as depicted in the photo (Valerie Kinney, personal communication, February 19, 2012).
Inspired by a vlog about the California School for the Deaf-Fremont's logo, which was created with input from the local Deaf community, the UAD decided to involve the local Deaf artists to design a new logo that represented the Utah Deaf community. The UAD Board, led by Ellen O'Hara, conducted a logo election, allowing a community to choose their representative. The competition held on November 2–3, 2012 provided an opportunity for Deaf artists to display their talents. James Smith, a Deaf artist, was named the winner, and his design was unveiled at the 2013 UAD conference in June 2013.
James Smith's objective while designing the logo was to say, "With the sun rising over the Wasatch Front, UAD welcomes the second century with ambition and passion, continuing the legacy of excellence as it has been since 1909."
James Smith's objective while designing the logo was to say, "With the sun rising over the Wasatch Front, UAD welcomes the second century with ambition and passion, continuing the legacy of excellence as it has been since 1909."
Over time, members of the Utah Deaf community expressed their interest in having a new logo that adequately represented their community to the UAD Board. As a result, UAD decided to create and unveil a new logo alongside the official launch of their new website. Following the completion of several surveys, UAD members unanimously voted for the "Delicate Arch" logo as the most suitable representation of Utah. The "Delicate Arch" is the most well-known arch in Utah's Arches National Park, commonly known as "Bridges." The UAD Board also thought the "Delicate Arch" logo was a great choice to represent UAD's role as a "bridge" that brings the Deaf community together, advocates for their needs, and educates people about their culture and language.
Brandon Bowden, a Deaf artist and UAD Board member, designed the new logo, which was unveiled at the 2019 UAD Conference (Pamela Mower, personal communication, September 23, 2019).
Brandon Bowden, a Deaf artist and UAD Board member, designed the new logo, which was unveiled at the 2019 UAD Conference (Pamela Mower, personal communication, September 23, 2019).
During UAD President Kim Lucas' tenure, it was clear that the Utah Association of the Deaf logo had design and formatting issues. Notably, the logo had a disconnected corner of the state line, and the vertical writing of the association's name presented readability challenges.
Following feedback and concerns from the Utah Deaf community, the UAD Board took proactive measures to increase accessibility and inclusivity. Recognizing the need for a more print-friendly logo and a clearer organization name, the board launched a redesign effort. After months of careful consideration, the board approved the final logo, designed by Ben Smith. It was decided that the image of mountains best captured the concept of Utah and its ongoing commitment to improve visual accessibility by changing the font and adding the word "Est. 1909" to the logo, which is easy to read. The logo was officially unveiled at the 2021 Utah Association of the Deaf Conference, receiving a lot of attention and appreciation.
Following feedback and concerns from the Utah Deaf community, the UAD Board took proactive measures to increase accessibility and inclusivity. Recognizing the need for a more print-friendly logo and a clearer organization name, the board launched a redesign effort. After months of careful consideration, the board approved the final logo, designed by Ben Smith. It was decided that the image of mountains best captured the concept of Utah and its ongoing commitment to improve visual accessibility by changing the font and adding the word "Est. 1909" to the logo, which is easy to read. The logo was officially unveiled at the 2021 Utah Association of the Deaf Conference, receiving a lot of attention and appreciation.
