The 5th District Member of the Year is a program to recognize a member of the 5th District American Legion Family who works hard to support the organization, and often times has done work that is truly above and beyond. A list of the award recipients can be found below or printed here.
Each part of the family accepts nominations and makes determination of the award. The Award is presented at the annual District Convention.
Nominations can be made at any time but there is a deadline of (normally) 30 days prior to the convention. The 2024 nomination cut off is Sunday May 5th.
Nominations should be sent to:
| The American Legion | The American Legion Auxiliary | The Sons of The American Legion |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Soderberg | Bonnie Brenna | Matthew Verkuilen |
| Legionnaire of the Year | ||||
| Year | Name | Post | Number | |
| 1987 | Merrell | Hansen* | Mpls/Richfield | Post 435 |
| 1988 | Walter | Hobat* | Bearcat | Post 504 |
| 1989 | Leonard | Grill* | Gopher | Post 440 |
| 1990 | George | Mital* | Gopher | Post 440 |
| 1991 | Kenneth | Erickson | Gopher | Post 440 |
| 1992 | Kym | Workcuff* | Mpls. Fire & Police | Post 396 |
| 1993 | Donald | Schroedl* | Mpls. Post Office | Post 540 |
| 1994 | Milo | Cecka* | Bearcat | Post 504 |
| 1995 | Virgil | Persing* | Falldin | Post 555 |
| 1996 | Ward | Jeffers* | Minneapolis | Post 1 |
| 1997 | Reuben | Mack* | Gopher | Post 440 |
| 1998 | Steve | George* | The Hellenic | Post 129 |
| 1999 | Richard | Hegdahl* | The Hellenic | Post 129 |
| 2000 | Melvin | Ohman* | North Side | Post 230 |
| 2001 | Nick | Kakos* | The Hellenic | Post 129 |
| 2002 | Richard | Berg | Aviation | Post 511 |
| 2003 | Larry | Anderson* | Mpls. Fire & Police | Post 396 |
| 2004 | Joe | Bayer | Wold-Chamberlain | Post 99 |
| 2005 | Joyce | Rose | Minneapolis | Post 1 |
| 2006 | Delbert | Rose | Minneapolis | Post 1 |
| 2007 | Curt | Norenberg | University of Minnesota | Post 548 |
| 2008 | John | Nelson* | Minneapolis | Post 1 |
| 2009 | Wayne | Hegland* | Gopher | Post 440 |
| Robert | Skogquist | Falldin | Post 555 | |
| 2010 | Emil | Milacek | University of Minnesota | Post 548 |
| 2011 | Lynne | Nottage | Minneapolis | Post 1 |
| 2012 | James | Munson | Mpls/Richfield | Post 435 |
| 2013 | Wayne | Glanton | Johnnie Baker | Post 291 |
| 2014 | Gary | Martin | Gopher | Post 440 |
| 2015 | Merv | Becker | Mpls/Richfield | Post 435 |
| 2016 | Will | Philipson | University of Minnesota | Post 548 |
| 2017 | Milton “Milt” | Schoen | Minneapolis | Post 1 |
| 2018 | Ray | Eiden | Falldin | Post 555 |
| 2019 | Paul | Soderberg | Falldin | Post 555 |
| 2020 | Steven | Smith | Gopher | Post 440 |
| 2021 | Mike | Wybierala | University of MN | Post 548 |
| 2022 | Andrew | Rose Sr. | Johnnie Baker | Post 291 |
| 2023 | ||||
| Auxiliary Member of the Year | ||||
| Year | Name | Unit | Number | |
| 1995 | Dorothy | Hathaway* | Minneapolis-Richfield | Unit 435 |
| 1996 | Sharon | Jeffers* | Minneapolis | Unit 1 |
| 1997 | Peg | McCarty | Minneapolis | Unit 1 |
| 1998 | Betty | Count | Calhoun | Unit 239 |
| 1999 | Vi | Rahrich | Bainbridge/Falldin | Unit 355/555 |
| 2000 | Emily | Duffee | Falldin | Unit 555 |
| 2001 | Joyce | Williams | Minneapolis-Richfield | Unit 435 |
| 2002 | Ramona | Nack | Gopher | Unit 440 |
| 2003 | Mary | Persing | Falldin | Unit 555 |
| 2004 | Barb | Burkstrand | Hellenic | Unit 129 |
| 2005 | Eleanor | Johnson | Minneapolis-Richfield | Unit 435 |
| 2006 | Patricia | Swanson* | Minneapolis-Richfield | Unit 435 |
| 2007 | Becky | Nelson | Minneapolis | Unit 1 |
| 2008 | Jan | Kakos | Hellenic | Unit 129 |
| 2009 | Penny | Becker | Minneapolis-Richfield | Unit 435 |
| 2010 | Elizabeth | Crawford | Court House | Unit 310 |
| 2011 | Mary | Younkin | Gopher | Unit 440 |
| 2012 | Gerda | Erickson | Calhoun | Unit 239 |
| 2013 | LoAnn | Grill | Gopher | Unit 440 |
| 2014 | No | nominations | ||
| 2015 | Annette | Bray* | Minneapolis-Richfield | Unit 435 |
| 2016 | Colleen | Grill | Gopher | Unit 440 |
| 2017 | Julie | Martin | Gopher | Unit 440 |
| 2018 | Elaine | Rider | Joe Smith | Unit 468 |
| 2019 | Bonnie | Brenna | Wold Chamberlain | Unit 99 |
| 2020 | No Convention | |||
| 2021 | No Nominations | |||
| 2022 | Cari | Lamb | Minneapolis | Unit 1 |
| 2023 | ||||
| Sons of The American Legion Member of the Year | ||||
| Year | Name | Squadron | Number | |
| 2013 | Shawn | Davis | Minneapolis-Richfield | Squad 435 |
| 2014 | Bill | Peters | Minneapolis | Squad 1 |
| 2015 | Robert | Bristo | Gopher | Squad 440 |
| 2016 | Pat | Kiehl | Minneapolis-Richfield | Squad 435 |
| 2017 | John | Nelson* | Minneapolis | Squad 1 |
| 2018 | Jim | Munson | Minneapolis-Richfield | Squad 435 |
| 2019 | Leroy | Gonzales | Minneapolis | Squad 1 |
| 2020 | No nominations | |||
| 2021 | No nominations | |||
| 2022 | Matthew | Verkuilen | Aviation | Squad 511 |
| 2023 | Shawn | Davis | Minneapolis-Richfield | Squad 435 |