Award of Merit: Peg A. Ivanyo
The Utah Genealogical Association Award of Merit is given
in special recognition of those who serve UGA in extraordinary ways. It is one
of the highest awards given by UGA. This year we are thrilled to present the
Award of Merit to our beloved SLIG director, Peg A. Ivanyo.
Peg is a meeting planner and consultant by trade and a
genealogist by passion. She is a past board member of UGA and was honored with UGA’s
Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Peg joined the SLIG committee in the fall
of 2011 and has served as SLIG director for the past seven years.
In 2015, Peg was instrumental in relocating SLIG to
the Hilton Salt Lake City to accommodate growth. During Peg’s tenure, SLIG has expanded
to include SLIG Virtual and the SLIG Academy for Professionals. She helped
launch and create SLIG’s Intermediate Foundations course to help a broader
range of students prepare for institute level education. She has brought
scholarships, sponsorships, and outstanding financial leadership to SLIG that
have enabled UGA to provide world-class education in a first-class setting
while keeping costs reasonable for students.
Peg is a unique leader who is motivated by the success
of others and the success of the programs she directs as opposed to her own
personal accolades. She has been a personal mentor to many people who have gone
on to serve in many ways in the genealogical community. Her own measure of
success has never been a trophy or recognition but in quality education and the
improvement of the SLIG experience.
Peg is organized, and she plans ahead (sometimes 5
years in advance). She stays within budget and thinks of every budget detail in
advance. Peg regularly thinks outside the box and plans for any situation that
may arise. She constantly strives to find a better way to do something and has
never been afraid to take a leap. We have definitely seen this in the past
month as she switched SLIG from an in-person to a virtual event at the last
minute. This has been an enormous undertaking, but she led the change admirably,
and it’s been a successful and rewarding week.
Peg supports the creativity of her faculty which leads
to innovative—and often exclusive—courses that have helped to elevate the
entire genealogical field. Her contributions have brought growth and stability
to an already-proven and nationally recognized program. Peg’s vision and
servant leadership have enabled hundreds of participants to receive premier
genealogy education every year, raising the bar for genealogy research around
the globe. UGA is proud to honor her with the Award of Merit this year.
