Past Hall of Fame Inductees

Since 1977, two new members have been inducted into the American Maple Hall of Fame each year. Inductees come from across the United States and Canada and represent multi-generational producers, researchers, association founders, and industry advocates whose work has shaped North American maple sugaring. The full plaque collection lives in Room 3 of the museum's first floor; below is a representative sample of recent classes.

2025

Introduced by Ray Bonenberg of Pembroke, Ontario. Induction ceremony May 17, 2025.

Earlier Recent Classes

The museum maintains the complete roster of inductees on plaques in the Hall of Fame room itself. For specific names from earlier classes — or for detailed biographies of any particular inductee — please contact the museum at [email protected] or visit in person.

The Pattern of Recognition

Across the Hall's nearly fifty years of induction, certain patterns are clear in who gets recognized:

• Multi-generational producers — families who have run a sugarbush across three, four, or five generations, with successive members of the family contributing to the broader industry through research, association leadership, or education
• Association founders — the individuals who, in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, founded the state and provincial maple syrup associations that today represent the industry
• Researchers — university scientists at land-grant institutions in maple-producing states (Cornell, Vermont, UNH, McGill, Guelph) whose work changed how the industry operates
• Equipment innovators — the people behind the transition from buckets to tubing, from wood-fired evaporators to oil-fired and now reverse-osmosis preconcentration
• International advocates — leaders in Quebec, Ontario, and the U.S. Northeast who built the international institutions (NAMSC, IMSI) that now coordinate the industry

The Council That Selects

The North American Maple Syrup Council (NAMSC) is the umbrella organization representing state, provincial, and regional maple syrup associations across the U.S. and Canada. NAMSC's annual meeting alternates between the U.S. and Canada and is one of the principal gatherings of the industry. The Hall of Fame selection committee is appointed by NAMSC and operates independently of the museum.

The International Maple Syrup Institute

NAMSC is closely allied with the International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI), the marketing and standards-setting organization for the industry. Many Hall of Fame inductees have held leadership roles in both organizations — a reflection of how concentrated industry leadership has historically been among the people willing to do the volunteer work.

Visiting the Hall

The Hall of Fame is included in regular museum admission. Visitors interested in the Hall specifically often plan their visit to coincide with the induction weekend in May, which is the best time to meet current inductees and members of the broader maple community. More on the Hall of Fame · Events

Nomination Process

Nominations to the Hall are submitted through state and provincial maple syrup associations to the NAMSC selection committee. Producers, researchers, or industry members wishing to nominate a candidate should contact their state or provincial association in the first instance.