This Award was created in 1985 to honor members who have distinguished themselves by giving extraordinary service to IAATI. This year’s award was given to Pat and Jimmy Hester as joint recipients.

Jimmy Hester had an outstanding 33 year law enforcement career. He started as a Deputy Sheriff, then progressed to Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and then Chief of Detectives. In 1985 he joined the Tennessee Highway Patrol as a Special Agent in the Criminal Investigations Division where he was later promoted to Special Agent in Charge. For 25 plus years, his main focus has been in vehicle identification and stolen vehicle recovery.

He is a past President of the Southeast Chapter of IAATI as well as an instructor at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy and the National Forensic Academy. Jimmy has authored and coauthored manuals currently being used by investigators throughout the Country on Interview and Interrogation, Cargo Vehicle, and Vehicle Identification. He also wrote and lobbied for the Tennessee Chop Shop Law which was enacted in 2000 along with several other laws.

After Jimmy retired from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, CID, in Nashville he began working with the LoJack Corporation as the law enforcement Liaison. Jimmy is married to Pat Mitchell Hester.

Pat also had a distinguished law enforcement career. She retired in April from the Tennessee Highway Patrol-CID after 33 years with the State of Tennessee, 30 as an agent with the Highway Patrol Criminal Investigations Division. She also retired as Special Agent in Charge.

Pat served as the first female President of IAATI from 1990 to 1991, Past President of the Southeast chapter from 1989 to 1990, and currently serves as the Secretary of the Southeast chapter. She continues to instruct at various seminars and institutes, including, but not limited to, the National Forensic Academy and the Chattanooga Police Department.

Jimmy and Pat live in Hermitage, Tennessee and have three children and seven grandchildren.

Both have been and continue to be valuable assets to IAATI.

Congratulations to both on this award!