Their tireless efforts and expertise have enriched our backgammon community and touched the lives of many.

Marty Storer is a distinguished world-class player. He is a BMAB Grandmaster Class 1, with a PR rating of 3.19, one of only three Americans to have earned this title. In 2022 he ranked #23 on the Giants of Backgammon list and has been on the list since 2015. He won the inaugural American Backgammon Tour points race in 1993, helped by his victory in the star-studded Boston Open. He was the #40 Giant in 1995. In 1983 he won the Ottawa Open. He won two ABT tournaments in 1994. In 2015 he won the Michigan Summer Championship and the Boston Masters in 2019 and 2022. He was a member of the winning Team USA in the 2020 Magriel Cup. With David Kettler, he was a finalist in the 2020 Tournament of Stars. He is a three-time champion of the New England Backgammon Club.

Rich Munitz is a rare combination of a top-notch world-class player, director, prolific organizer, tireless volunteer, and mediator. As a player, Rich won the ABT tour in 2006 and 2018. He is one of only three people to have won it more than once. The other two are in the Hall of Fame. He also recorded a second-place finish in 2007 and a third-place finish in 2010. He has won nine ABT tournaments in total as of 2022. As of this writing, he ranks fifth on the all-time ABT Points list, which means he has more ABT points than all but four players in the USBGF Hall of Fame. He has been voted to the Giants of Backgammon List four times, including three times in the top 32. As of December 2021, he had the highest Elo rating in ABT matches of any player with at least 50 experience points. While he has achieved greatness as a player, his contributions as a volunteer, organizer, and director may be even more impressive.

Candace Mayeron, tournament producer and promoter, is recognized for her innovative leadership in bringing show-business glamour and excitement to backgammon events with Oscar-like awards, banners and backdrops, red carpets, and raffles. 

As the USBGF historian, Robert Stoller does the critical work of meticulously cataloging backgammon’s rich history. He helps bring to life notable people, events, and contributors to the development of the game.

The USBGF is honoring Phil Simborg with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution as a backgammon educator. Along with Perry Gartner, he established the Backgammon Learning Center which has 25 prominent faculty from countries around the world.