The Ad Club of Western Massachusetts

The Advertising Club confers the order of William Pynchon and the Pynchon Medal upon such citizens of western Massachusetts as, in the opinion of the Trustees of the Pynchon Award, have rendered distinguished public service.

Recipients are nominated each year by members of the community, and are chosen by unanimous decision of the Pynchon Trustees. The Trustees are the Ad Club's current and five most recent past presidents.

2008 Pynchon Recipients

The William Pynchon Award was established in 1915. It honors individuals from all walks of life who go beyond the call of duty to make life better for our western Massachusetts community. Selection of these three outstanding individuals marks the 94th year the Pynchon Awards have been presented.

Three distinguished individuals have been selected to receive the William Pynchon Medal and induction into the Order of William Pynchon. The honor is bestowed annually by the Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts to individuals from the region who have demonstrated exceptional community service with compassion, humility and grace.

The 2008 honorees are Dianne Fuller Doherty, regional director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, Michael J. Ashe, Jr., sheriff of Hampden County, and Frank W. Anderson, retired MassMutual life insurance agent.

Dianne is a doer, a "hands on, heart in" contributor to the community, a champion for women, and a positive inspirational force for good. Her leadership as one of three founders of The Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts, an organization created to mobilize resources to address the pressing needs of women and girls in our region, is exemplary. As an active volunteer with the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, Dianne has demonstrated a boundless energy and dedication that go above and beyond her role as a member of the board to include several projects focused on improving literacy and humanities projects in western Massachusetts. She became involved with Bay Path College as a member of the Advisory Council and serves as a trustee to the board. She is also actively involved with the Digital Divide Data - providing opportunities for disadvantaged youth in Cambodia and Laos. She serves on the marketing/development committee for the Community Foundation, the Pioneer Valley Plan for Progress and speaks regularly at women's conferences and to community issues. Dianne has consistently identified needs in the community, energizing people to get involved and has personally made a significant impact in our community.

Dianne and her husband Paul, a 2006 Pynchon Recipient, are the parents of four and the grandparents of six.

Elected sheriff of Hampden County in 1974, Michael J. Ashe's contributions to the community go far beyond his duties as sheriff. He is an outstanding role model, a tireless mentor, and a champion of the underserved in our community. He is a man of integrity, compassion and inspiration. His life truly revolves around service to others.

Michael Ashe, along with a few other dedicated citizens, founded Downey Side 40 years ago. Downey Side is committed to permanently placing homeless children with loving families. After graduate school, he and his wife Barbara served as the first house parents of Downey Side Homes for Youth, taking on this awesome responsibility in addition to raising their own young children. Sheriff Ashe also served as Downey Side's first assistant director. In the last 40 years, Downey Side has placed over 7,000 children with loving families. Throughout those 40 years, Michael has played an active role in supporting and guiding Downey Side.

In addition to Downey Side, Michael has made tremendous contributions to our community and its well being over and above his duties as Hampden County Sheriff. Corrections and public health practitioners laud Sheriff Ashe's community-based medical services initiative nationally. His work has benefited not only Hampden County; his accomplishments have advanced the corrections profession nationally. Because Sheriff Ashe believes that education can reduce recidivism of committed individuals he has initiated an education program at the jail that includes literacy, GED and college courses.

Michael and his wife Barbara Ashe are the parents of six and the grandparents of eleven.

Frank Anderson is a community "energizer" whose belief in helping others is part of his DNA. His conviction that one person can indeed make a difference not only drives him, but also inspires others. When Frank sees a need he is most often the first to step forward, with a passion and a dedication far beyond the norm. Preferring to work in the background, Frank's effectiveness often goes undetected for it is wrapped with a humility and humbleness that reflects his unassuming nature.

Frank's good works began long before his retirement as a successful MassMutual life insurance agent. In 1968, he saw a need to help young African-American, Latino and Native American children from poor school districts throughout the United States receive the education they need. That's when he co-founded the "A Better Chance" (ABC) program in Amherst - a program that brought high school-aged children into strong school settings. He helped convince the Amherst community to embrace this program by accepting these children from other communities and cultures attend Amherst High School free of tuition and provide them with a place to live. The program continues to flourish and thus far has helped over 100 students attend more than 50 colleges and universities.

When he saw the need for a residential hospice care, Frank not only single handedly transformed the Fisher House in Amherst to a hospice care center where residents can spend their last days in comfort and die with dignity, he also became a trained hospice caregiver. And shortly after the events of September 11, 2001, Frank showed up at the doors of the American Red Cross and proclaimed, "I'm retired, now put me to work!"

He was awarded the "Clara Barton Award" in 2006 - the highest honor the Red Cross bestows on a volunteer; named "Volunteer of the Year" in 1983 by the Hampshire County United Way; and is the recipient of The Reminder Publication's "Hometown Hero" Award in 2005.

Frank and his wife Elaine are the parents of two and have one grandchild.

The awards dinner and ceremony for the 94th Annual William Pynchon Awards will be held Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 6 - 9 p.m. at Chez Joseph in Agawam, Massachusetts. Kathy Tobin, news director, ABC40 will serve as emcee.

Cost per person is $60. To reserve your seat call the club administrator at 413-736-CLUB or use our reservation form to reserve your seat online.