The ABE (Award for Barbershop Excellence) is the District’s highest award and recognizes exceptional lifetime achievement and service by outstanding members of the Illinois District.
| 2014 | Terry Ludwig | Bloomington Chapter |
| 2013 | Frank Fabian | Frank Thorne Chapter |
| 2012 | Dick Kingdon | Northbrook & Chicagoland West Suburban Chapters |
| 2011 | Tim Woodall | Coles County & Bloomington Chapters |
| 2010 | Jay Giallombardo | Northbrook Chapter |
| 2009 | Rich Hansen | Bloomington & Coles County Chapters |
| 2008 | Carl Missele | Elgin Chapter |
| 2007 | Wally Ryan * | Decatur Chapter |
| 2006 | Al Quinn | Peoria Chapter |
| 2005 | Wayne Wright | Sterling/Rock Falls Chapter |
| 2004 | Bill Stock * | Belleville Chapter |
| 2003 | Dick Johnson* | Northbrook Chapter |
| 2002 | Joe Sullivan | Northbrook Chapter |
| 2001 | Rod Hupach * | Joliet Chapter |
| 2000 | Walt Bohdan * | Chicago Metro Chapter |
| 1999 | Warren “Buzz” Haeger * | Lombard Chapter |
| 1998 | Earl Meseth | Joliet Chapter |
| 1997 | Jules Kastens | Arlington Heights Chapter |
| 1996 | Gene McNish * | Springfield Chapter |
| 1995 | Gary Nohren | Coles County Chapter |
| 1994 | Joe Shekleton * | Arlington Heights Chapter |
| 1993 | Bill Gallagher * | North Shore Chapter |
| 1992 | Craig Rigg | Macomb Chapter |
| 1991 | Jim Graham * | Champaign-Urbana Chapter |
| 1990 | Jack Windsor | Aurora Chapter |
| 1989 | Ken Hines | Sterling-Rock Falls Chapter |
| 1988 | Jack Aldridge * | Bloomington Chapter |
| 1987 | Bob Cearnal | Belleville Chapter |
| 1986 | Bob Squires | Lombard Chapter |
| 1985 | George Peters * | Northbrook Chapter |
| 1984 | Syl Wetle | Northbrook Chapter |
| 1983 | Jim Vliet | Champaign-Urbana Chapter |
| 1982 | Chuck Nicoloff * | Arlington Heights Chapter |
| 1981 | William Worst | Aurora Chapter |
| 1980 | Jerry McDonough * | Peoria Chapter |
| 1979 | John Mulkin * | Carbondale Chapter |
| 1978 | Ron Leathers | Coles County Chapter |
| 1977 | Jack Harwood * | Springfield Chapter |
| 1976 | Bill Everitt * | Lombard Chapter |
| 1975 | Don Summers * | Peoria Chapter |
| 1974 | Loren Bogart * | Bloomington Chapter |
| 1973 | Forrest Stahly * | Bloomington Chapter |
| 1972 | Dick Neely * | Q-Suburban Chapter |
| 1971 | Tom Woodall | Coles County Chapter |
| 1970 | Tom Watts * | Skokie Valley Chapter |
| 1969 | Dick Robbins * | North Shore Chapter |
| 1968 | John Corley * | Herrin Chapter |
| 1967 | Walt Martin * | Elgin Chapter |
| 1966 | Frank Vechiola * | Chicago No. 1 & Skokie Valley Chapters |
| 1965 | Jack Baird * | Southwest Suburban Chapter |
| 1964 | Charles Wilcox * | Freeport Chapter |
| 1963 | “Murph” Johnson * | Pioneer Chapter |
| 1962 | Tom Crawford * | Pioneer Chapter |
| 1961 | Bob Hockenbrough * | Q-Suburban Chapter |
| 1960 | Carl Mayer * | North Shore Chapter |
* = Deceased
