The Sue Miller Buske Leadership Award
Norm Compton from Allen County Public Library

Norm has spent his career empowering communities through access to media. Since 1999, he has served as the Manager of Access Fort Wayne (AFW), where his vision and leadership have not only grown AFW into a cornerstone of civic engagement in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but also strengthened its ties with local government and the wider community. His work led to significant collaborations, such as bringing County Government programming to Access 1 and working with the City of Fort Wayne to revise the distribution of franchise fees—changes that helped preserve and expand community access for years to come.

Under Norm’s leadership, Access Fort Wayne has thrived. For 26 years, he has built and led a team that embodies the spirit of community media, consistently uplifting local voices and stories. He’s also led Rock the Plaza, a community summer concert series, for 18 years—raising sponsorship dollars, enriching downtown Fort Wayne, and making the arts more accessible to the public. His passion for improving lives is also evident in his leadership of the ACPL Wellness Committee, where he has helped create a healthier, more engaged workplace.

Norm’s contributions to ACM are both deep and longstanding. His involvement began in 1987, attending his first national conference in Chicago. Since then, he has served decades on the Central States Regional Board, including as Chair of the Ohio Chapter, Philo Chair, and most notably, Treasurer for more than twelve years. His leadership helped sustain and grow ACM’s regional efforts, and through his work, ACM has remained a visible and valued participant in the national community media conversation.

List of Winners by Year

2025 - Norm Compton - Allen County Public Library
2024 - Richard Turner (Former ACM Board Chair) / Carroll Media Center
2023 - Donna T. Couey
2022 - Keith Thibault, Fall River Community Media
2021 - Barbara Chisholm, WACA TV & Jon Funfar, City of Pasco
2020 - Mary Van Sickle, Dakota Media Access
2019 - Anthony Riddle, BRIC
2018 - Shelley Wolfe, PSTV
2017 - Ross Rowe, Village of Elk Grove
2016 – Rob Brading, Metro East Media
2015 – John Hauser, Access Humboldt
2014 – Antoine Haywood, Philadelphia Community Access Media (PhillyCAM)
2013 – Matt Schuster, TV Santa Barbara
2012 – Michael Wassenaar
2011 – Keri Stokstad, The Santa Barbara Channels
2010 – Colin Rhinesmith
2009 – Nancy Richard
2008 – Tom Bishop
2007 – Debra Rogers
2006 – Sean McLaughlin
2005 – Brian Wilson
2004 – Harry “Hap” Haasch
2003 – Ron Cooper, Access Sacramento
2002 – Erik Mollberg
2001 – John Donovan
2000 – Alan Bushong
1999 – Deb Vinsel
1998 – Steve Fortriede
1997 – Carl Kucharski
1996 – Hubert Jessup
1995 – Rika Welsh
1994 – Andrew Blau
1993 – Lynn Carillo-Cruse
1992 – Sharon Ingraham
1991 – Gerry Field
1990 – Chuck Sherwood
1989 – Dirk Koning
1988 – Jan Lesher Ireland
1987 – Sue Miller Buske