Duane E. Johnson Distinguished Award
2014 Recipient - Dr. James Saker

Dr. Jim Saker has served the profession as president of the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association and as president of the "Past Presidents Council." He served as president of the Nebraska Music Educators Association (NMEA). He has served as the Nebraska State Chair for CBDNA and as coordinator and host of the 1994 and 2008 North Central Division Professional Conferences.

Dr. Saker has been a guest conductor with high school, collegiate, honors, all-state and professional bands and orchestras throughout the United States and in Canada, Europe and Eastern Europe.

He has received the University's Great Teacher Award, a Nebraska Board of Regents Commendation, and the "Chancellor's Medal," the highest honor presented to a member of the University Community. In 1996 he was awarded an endowed chair as the "Isaacson Distinguished Professor of Music."

In 2009 Dr. Saker received a third Citation of Excellence presented by the National Band Association and has been honored by the NSBA as the recipient of the prestigious Donald A. Lentz Outstanding Bandmaster Award. He was recognized by NMEA with the "Distinguished Service Award" in 2009, and in 2010 was inducted into the NMEA "Hall ofFame,"the first University of Nebraska Omaha faculty member to be so honored. For his dedicated service to NSBA, UNO and the entire music education field, the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association would like to award James R. Saker, the Duane E Johnson Distinguished Service Award.