The Prichard Committee presented its highest recognition, its Award of Excellence, to Tim Hanner of the Kenton County school district.

Hanner, 50, retired from the Kenton County schools in June due to medical concerns.

He began serving as superintendent in 2006 and was named the Kentucky Association of School Administrators’ Superintendent of the Year in 2010.

Hanner began working in the Kenton County district in 1990 as a teacher, principal and district administrator. He spent two years as a Distinguished Educator and an associate commissioner for the state education department. In recent years, the Kenton County district has been a leader on several fronts, developing schools of study to help focus high school curriculum and learning; developing more effective teacher evaluations, and giving students a larger voice in district decision-making.

Hanner began his career in the Russell Independent school district as a teacher as well as coaching both athletic and academic teams. He holds degrees from Eastern Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University and the University of Cincinnati. He is the third recipient of the Prichard Committee’s Award of Excellence. It was previously presented to Helen Mountjoy of Daviess County, a former chair of the Kentucky Board of Education and Education Cabinet secretary, and Harry Moberly Jr., a longtime state representative from Richmond who presided over the House committees that oversee education funding and the state budget.