NEW YORK | FEBRUARY 25, 2025 - The National Coffee Association (NCA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 NCA Individual Recognition Awards.
NCA DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD
The NCA is honored to award Allan B. Colley the 2025 NCA Distinguished Leadership Award, sponsored by the Eight O'Clock Coffee Company, in recognition of his many contributions and distinguished career spanning over 50 years in the coffee industry.
Colley started his career at the Dupuy Group in 1973, working under his father and with his four brothers. He learned the business from the ground up and became president of Dupuy, a position he held until the sale of the company in 2023. He now serves as a valued consultant to the company’s new owners.
Throughout his time with Dupuy, Colley maintained the company’s steadfast support as an NCA member. Within the NCA, he advocated for the warehouse industry, engaged in many working groups, and sponsored and attended NCA Conventions for decades. He served as president of the Southern Coffee Association and the Green Coffee Association, and he represented the coffee industry as the president of the New Orleans Board of Trade.
In 1992, Dupuy Group helped to establish the first green coffee silo in the U.S., and in 2005, Dupuy opened a second state-of-the-art green coffee silo in Jacksonville, Florida. Dupuy also installed unique blending and upgrading equipment in several locations, all groundbreaking investments and technological solutions in the world of coffee warehousing.
NCA President and CEO William “Bill” Murray commented:
“Allan has served the coffee industry for over 50 years with humility, integrity, and generosity. This award honors his visionary leadership, service to the NCA and contributions to the industry.”
Colley added:
“I am truly overwhelmed with gratitude to be this year’s recipient of the NCA Distinguished Leadership Award. My entire working life has been spent in the coffee business and in reflecting on these past 50 years, I have to say the real credit goes to my co-workers and family for their support and countless contributions to the success of Dupuy Storage. My humble thanks to the NCA for this wonderful honor.”
NCA VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The NCA is proud to name Kyle Bawot of ofi as the recipient of the 2025 NCA Volunteer of the Year Award, sponsored by Eight O'Clock Coffee Company, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contributions to building the NCA Next Generation community.
In addition to his role as senior director at ofi, Bawot has served on the NCA Next Gen Council since 2019 and, for the last two years, has been serving as the Council’s Chair. During his time as chair, Bawot worked to formalize and strengthen Next Gen’s core activities while also leading new initiatives, including the launch of the NCA Mentorship Program.
NCA President and CEO William “Bill” Murray commented:
“Kyle has played a key role in advancing the NCA Next Gen community and expanding the group’s activities. With gratitude, we present this award in recognition of his dedicated service and contributions to the NCA and his peers in coffee.”
Bawot added:
“While I am very pleased and honored to receive this recognition, the reality is that the achievements of NCA Next Gen are the result of the time and dedication of a group of volunteers across the Council and Committees. Frankly, I consider myself fortunate to have met and worked alongside so many talented individuals. For me, this award is a recognition of the effort of this whole group.”
The NCA will present the Distinguished Leadership Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award on March 7 during its Convention in Houston, Texas. Register for the convention at ncausa.org/convention.
High-res photos available upon request. For further information, contact media@ncausa.org.
###
About the NCA Individual Recognition Awards: The NCA Distinguished Leadership Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, service, advocacy, and engagement to advance both the National Coffee Association and the coffee industry. The award is for continuous and sustained leadership, service, and contribution, rather than for a single act, no matter how monumental. The NCA Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding volunteer who stands out for their overall leadership and contributions during the past year.
About the National Coffee Association: The National Coffee Association (NCA), established in 1911, is the United States’ oldest and largest trade organization representing coffee businesses of all types and sizes, including the producers, roasters, brands, and other companies responsible for 90% of U.S. coffee commerce, as well as nonprofit organizations involved in the world of coffee. More American adults drink coffee each day than any other beverage (other than bottled water), and coffee supports 2.2 million U.S. jobs—operating in every U.S. state and territory and contributing nearly $350 billion to the U.S. economy every year. For more information, visit ncausa.org or contact coffee@ncausa.org.