Each year, SME recognizes dozens of deserving professionals with a range of awards.

This year, a new and unique award, the Cindy Moore Courageous Impact Award will be given for the first time. The SME Inclusion and Diversity Committee will collect nominations, select an award recipient, and work with Hecla to create the physical award, to be given at the Women of SME Breakfast beginning in February 2023.Nominations for this award, and all of the awards presented by SME, AIME and SME Divisions are now open at https://smeawards.secure-platform.com:443/a.

The Cindy Moore Courageous Impact Award was established in 2022 in honor of Cindy Moore through a generous donation from Hecla Mining. The award recognizes the outstanding achievements and lasting impact of women in mining or the mine service industry.

Cindy Moore , was a chief engineer at Hecla who worked in the mining industry for more than 30 years at various mining companies. She was an avid collector of mining memorabilia and loved boating, fishing and animals.

“Cindy had demonstrated great leadership qualities and was on track for a larger role within the company,” said Luke Russell, VP of External Affairs. “Most companies, including Hecla consider these sort of people as their high potential workers and look for opportunities to broaden their experience base. Cindy was on a path that could have made her the first woman general manager in the district when she was diagnosed with the disease. Yet, she was a fighter and in her fight she further gained the respect and admiration of her peers and all within the company.”

Moore was diagnosed with ALS in 2010 at the age of 50. She retired in 2013, but continued consulting for Hecla from home. She was respected so much that Hecla would send interns to help Moore around the house. In turn, she would mentor them while they all sat on her front porch.
From the start of her diagnosis, Moore began fundraising for the Evergreen Chapter. She was passionate about so much of what she did. She took on the role of Advocacy Chair as Evergreen Chapter board member and traveled to Washington D.C. for advocacy work several times. With her family and friends, they began the Cindy’s Cyclists Team for an Evergreen Chapter Team Challenge event in Western Washington and participated in the Coeur d’Alene Walk to Defeat ALS over many years. They founded Cindy’s Ride Silver Valley Ride to Defeat ALS in 2013. Cindy’s Ride has raised more than $175,000 in eight years to fund Evergreen Chapter programs providing services for people living with ALS. Moore passed away in 2015 at age 55 but her legacy lives on through Cindy’s Cyclists Team and through the award presented by SME.
The annual award will be given to a woman in the mining or the mine service industry that has shown leadership, mentorship, and enthusiasm for the industry and is making or has made a lasting impact on the industry.

The selection committee shall consider (but not be limited by) the following criteria:

1. A woman in mining or the mine service field
2. Committed to the success of her employer, co-workers, and industry
3. Dedicated thought leader and collaborator
4. Inspires others to be better through her selfless example
5. Demonstrates leadership, mentorship, and enthusiasm for both mining and our mining communities
6. Demonstrates courage and earned respect of those around her
7. Is making, or has made, a lasting impact on the industry

To nominate someone for this, or any other SME award please visit the SME award nomination page, https://smeawards.secure-platform.com:443/a.