Awards
Lifetime Membership Award (LTM)
The LTM member status is awarded only to those that have demonstrated unparalleled support to IACIS and the digital forensic community over the course of years. In addition to the rights enjoyed by all members, our lifetime members may also attend any IACIS classes / functions open to the general membership (i.e., training events, certification programs, etc) without the requirement to pay any fees, and our lifetime members have their annual membership dues waived.
To see a selection of our Lifetime Members and their contribution to the forensic community, visit the IACIS Lifetime Members page.
Nominations for Lifetime Membership Awards are compiled and reviewed annually by the Awards Committee. Recommendations are presented to the Board of Directors, and the awards are presented at the annual membership meeting in May each year.
Volunteer Recognition Award (VRA)
The Volunteer Recognition Award can be extended to any volunteer who has demonstrated exceptional volunteerism and contribution towards the betterment of IACIS over the course of the previous calendar year.
Recipients of the Volunteer Recognition Award are people who have stood out from among the 500+ amazing volunteers who share their time and experience to better the next generation of digital forensic practitioners.
Nominations for the Volunteer Recognition Award are compiled and reviewed annually by the Awards Committee. Recommendations are presented to the Board of Directors at the January Board of Directors meeting, and the awards are normally presented during the Orlando training event in May.
The Spirit of IACIS Award
What is the Spirit of IACIS? It’s not easily defined because it can mean different things to different people. Anyone who has been involved with IACIS and its people would agree that the Spirit of IACIS certainly exists as a tangible presence. It’s the reason why so many members continue to dedicate their time and their passion to this great association.
In 2022, the Spirit of IACIS Award was created. It was immediately and unanimously awarded, posthumously, to Farris ‘Tom’ Thomas CFCE. Tom became a member of IACIS in 2007 when he attended the BCFE Training class in Orlando, Florida. Tom was an active volunteer for IACIS until his passing in 2021, at the age of 75.
In his honor, the IACIS listserv was flooded with tribute messages, written by fellow IACIS Members, highlighting the characteristics Tom brought to IACIS, including but not limited to being personable, gentle, kind-hearted, thoughtful, passionate, genuine, humble, calm, selfless, quick-witted, altruistic and charismatic. Tom loved IACIS and IACIS needed Tom. In Tom’s years volunteering for IACIS he was a mentor, a role model, a team player, and a quiet achiever. He embodied the IACIS values of integrity, dedication, and community.
Individuals like Tom Thomas are what make this organization special. Recipients of the Spirit of IACIS Award will have carried the torch for Tom in demonstrating similar characteristics, through their interactions with fellow IACIS members and will embody the IACIS values of integrity, dedication, and community.
The Recipients of the Spirit of IACIS Award are listed below in chronological order.
- 2023 Farris ‘Tom’ Thomas
- 2024 Doug Elrick
Nominations for the Spirit of IACIS Award are compiled and reviewed annually by the Awards committee. Recommendations are presented to the Board of Directors, and the awards are normally presented at the annual membership meeting in May.
