Peter Hahn, professor of history and divisional dean for the arts and humanities, was honored by the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR) with its first Distinguished Service Award.

The award recognizes Hahn's tenure as SHAFR's executive director from 2002 to 2015. Last fall, he was elected vice president of SHAFR and will take over as president next year.

"Peter has been almost certainly the most important single person in the distinguished history of our organization," SHAFR's council said. Hahn has "for years infused SHAFR with his deep moral integrity and steadfast courtesy and concern for others."

One past-president observed that Hahn “in effect ran the organization, served as its institutional memory, and oversaw its enormous expansion, and as such he is largely responsible for its success.” Other former presidents who worked closely with Hahn recall his “extraordinary administrative competence” and his “reassuring unflappability.”

The Distinguished Service Award was established in response to demand from SHAFR's membership.