Dave is the USM VP Legislative Forum. He received this award for all the work he did on the USM 2009 Legislative Forum and all the work he did on the USM 2010 Legislative Forum to make it the best Legislative Forum USM ever held.

Paul Bessel has played and continues to play a major role presenting USM to the world by maintaining the USM web page. He has made it an outstanding page of which USM can be proud. Moreover, he is always there to keep all the information relevant and up to date. We owe Paul so much and we are proud to present him with this year’s President’s Award.

Champion for Seniors Award

     This year, for the first time ever, the United Seniors of Maryland is giving an award to a person who has worked for the well fare of Maryland seniors. We hope to make the presentation of this award a prestigious yearly event. And, I am thrilled and honored to be able to offer the title of Champion for Seniors to someone who has done so much for seniors.
     The United Seniors of Maryland Executive Committee was charged with selecting the 2009 Champion for Seniors. We started the process by asking the members to offer nominations. There were many worthy suggestions.
     However, when one name came up, there was immediate and unanimous agreement.
     He’s the one. The obvious person to receive the title of Champion for Seniors is Mike Lachance.
     Mike is a graduate of Towson State University where he majored in Psychology and Sociology and graduated Magna Cum Laude.
     Mike is a decorated combat veteran who served with the 506^th Regiment in the 101^st Airborne Division in Vietnam.
     Mike has worked in the field of aging services for nearly three decades.
     He got his start by establishing food cooperatives in Senior Citizen High Rise Housing in Baltimore City for the Urban Services Agency.
     And, he directed the "Campaign Against Crime for Older Baltimoreans" which included Crime Prevention Education and Victim Assistance Services for Baltimore City Commission on Aging and Retirement Education.
     With the Department of Aging , Mike has been a Principle Planner, Legal Services Developer, and Planning Specialist with concentration in health insurance and consumer education.
     For over twenty years, Mike has served as the Maryland Department of Aging’s Legislative Liaison.
     Mike currently provides staff support to the Commission on Aging, the Oversight Committee on Quality Care in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities, and the Council on Quality Care at the End of Life.
     That’s a short picture of what Mike has done, and what he is currently doing. But there’s more to Mike than his resume, because, for Mike, Aging issues are more than a job. Aging issues are something he is deeply committed to and passionate about.
     Everyone knows that Mike is even tempered and calm – a really cool guy. But, if you want to see fire in his eyes, just say something that he doesn’t think is in the best interest of seniors. Then, get out of the way.
     So, to sum it up, he’s calm and cool, committed to the welfare of seniors, has spent his entire career in the service his country, and in the service of seniors in a way that goes way beyond his job description. Mike Lachance is respected by everyone who knows him, and is truly A Champion for Seniors.

     Sue F. Ward has been named the 2010 Champion for Seniors. She received her award at the United Seniors of Maryland’s 33rd Annual Legislative Forum on January 19th.
     Sue is currently the Grassroots Director for the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. She came from the state of Maryland where she was the first Secretary of the Department of Aging. Prior to that she was Director of Family Services and Director of the Department of Aging for Prince George’s County, Maryland. She is a former president of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (N4A) and the National Association of State Unites on Aging (NASUA). She is also a former Commissioner of the American Bar Association Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly (now the Commission on Law and Aging).
     A social worker by training, Sue studied government and international relations at the College of William and Mary and the American University of Beirut, began her social work studies at McGill University in Montreal, and received her Masters from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
     Over 500 seniors came from across the State to attend the event that took the form of three town hall meetings; one with Governor O’Malley, one with Minority Leader in the House, O’Donnell, and one with Speaker of the House, Busch. Other officials addressed the participants who also had an opportunity to meet with their local Delegations to discuss issues important to seniors.

Mary Ann Love

Mary Ann Love is a member of the House of Delegates since 1993 representing Legislative District 32. She retired from AACO Department of aging and has been a champion for retired teachers and retired military issues. Mary Ann’s most significant accomplishment has been and will continue to be the opportunity to serve the citizens of the state and her legislative district. She uses every opportunity she can to reach out to the seniors in the community. In 2008 she was the lead sponsor on legislation on continuing care in Retirement communities-subscriber grievances. She served on the board for partners in Care and has always worked tirelessly in protecting seniors rights.  

Her most significant accomplishment on a personal basis would be sharing 50 years of marriage with her husband Joe. She also raised two accomplished sons, who, as public servants, give back to the citizens of our state.  They, along with five grandsons and 1 granddaughter are the most significant thing in her life. 

We are proud to honor Delegate Mary Ann Love.