NYSUT was proud to welcome numerous luminaries to its RA this year, including President Emeritus Tom Hobart, American Federation of Teachers Executive Vice President Antonia Cortese and Eadie Shanker, widow of union pioneer Albert Shanker.

Others recognized include: former NYSUT officers Walter Dunn and Herb Magidson; Elaine Sanders, widow of NYSUT officer

Dan Sanders; Regents Vice Chancellor Merryl Tisch; Regents Charles Bendit, Geraldine Chapey, Harry Phillips and Roger Tilles; Johanna Duncan-Poitier of the State Education Department; William Egan of the New York State Psychologists Association; Ted Kirsch, president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Teachers; Joyce Powell, president of the New Jersey Education Association; the AFT's Mark Bostic, Rita Freeman, Larry Gold, Ron Krouse and Phil Kugler; the National Education Association's Joseph Dushko, Lola Kelly and Kathleen Lyons; Neal Johnson of Special Olympics New York; Kevin Casey of the School Administrators Association of New York State; and former state teachers of the year Stephen Bongiovi and Marguerite Izzo.