SCAA honours Katzeff's lifetime achievement

4th May 2008

The Specialty Coffee Association of America in early May bestowed its highest honour, the Lifetime Achievement award, on past president, roaster and activist Paul Katzeff of California-based Thanksgiving Coffee.

The award, presented by former SCAA executive director Ted Lingle, was made at the association’s Conference and Exhibition, held in Minneapolis. Lingle described Katzeff as “the most politically astute activist in coffee”, and explained that he had been the driving force behind the SCAA’s Sustainability Committee and a number of developments in the sector.

Katzeff dedicated his award to the people who had helped define the message that coffee was more than taste. “The secret is not just the cup,” he said, “but a just cup.”

The SCAA also honoured past president David Griswold, of importer Sustainable Harvest, with its Outstanding Contribution Award, and instituted the Alfred Peet Passionate Cup Award, in honour of the roaster Peet’s Coffee & Tea founder and specialty pioneer who died last year.

Also honoured during the evening awards presentation was Connie Blumhardt, the publisher of Roast magazine, who took the Distinguished Publisher Award. The audience also heard a section of a recorded presentation by the late Dr Ernesto Illy, who died in February, as the distinguished coffee scientist was given the SCAA’s Special Recognition Award posthumously.

(Above: Paul Katzeff acknowledges the standing ovation he received from the audience at the SCAA's 2008 Awards presentation)