Jim Bittner, CRP Receives RPI Education Award
AUSTIN, TX – July 16, 2025 – Recognition Professionals International (RPI) honored Jim Bittner, CRP, Vice President of Business Development, Centricity, at the IMA Summit Awards program earlier this week during the annual IMA Summit in Austin, TX.
Jim has been a passionate advocate for the recognition industry for over 20 years, and his contributions to RPI reflect that same dedication. Since joining the Board in 2022, Jim has been deeply engaged across multiple committees, most notably the Education and Certification Committee and the Recognition Committee, where he serves as a judge for the Best Practice Standards® Awards.
“Jim’s steady presence, expertise, many contributions to RPI, combined with his passion for the recognition industry as a whole, makes him a truly deserving recipient of this year’s RPI Education Award,” says Andrew Bishop, CRP, Executive VP and Director of Education and Certification for RPI, and President of RecogNation.
Over the past two years, Jim has played a critical role in the complete rewrite and launch of the Certified Recognition Professional® curriculum, serving as a consistent and insightful contributor since day one of the project. Additionally, Jim was instrumental in updating the Best Practice Standards® Awards rubric and submission guidelines for the Recognition Committee. And, as a judge, he has demonstrated great care for others through his willingness to connect with program submitters to offer feedback, coaching, and guidance.
The RPI Education Award in honor of Theresa Harkins-Schulz is given by the RPI Board of Directors to recognize members who have provided leadership and commitment to RPI’s education initiatives.
Bittner is the 4th recipient of the RPI Education Award. Previous recipients include:
- 2024 – Andrew Bishop, CRP, RecogNation
- 2022 – Roy Saunderson, CRP, retired, Engage2Excel
- 2022 – Cori Champagne, MIT