HARRISBURG (Feb. 20, 2002) - The Pennsylvania Bar Association Conference of County Bar Leaders (CCBL) will honor Berks County Bar Association Executive Director Barbara I. Kittrell March 1 in State College for her commitment to the legal profession. Kittrell will receive the fifth annual Arthur J. Birdsall Award during the 36th annual seminar of the CCBL.

The Arthur J. Birdsall Award, which is named for the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) county bar services director who has served the PBA for 30 years, is presented to a county bar executive who demonstrates the highest traditions of professional excellence, is committed to the success of his or her bar association and has enhanced significantly the stature of his or her bar association. Birdsall accepted the first award at the 32nd Annual CCBL.

�This award is designed to recognize those county bar leaders who go above and beyond what is expected,� noted PBA President H. Reginald Belden Jr. �The PBA is pleased to honor Barbara for her outstanding dedication to the legal profession.�

Berks County Bar Association (BCBA) President John J. Speicher said in his nomination letter that �the BCBA, and indeed, the organized state and national bars have been improved by the dedication and commitment of Barbara Kittrell. She remains steadfast in her commitment to excellence and professionalism both in the bar association and in the profession as a whole.�

In the nomination, Kittrell was commended for her work as �the instrument of change� in the Berks County Bar Association. She has worked to maintain a high interest level among bar members by offering diverse programs and committees that fit into different practice areas and personal preferences. Kittrell is a member of the National Association of Bar Executives (NABE). She served as secretary of the organization in 1992 and as local delegate in 1995. She also is a past president and treasurer of the Pennsylvania Association of Bar Executives.

Kittrell is an accomplished speaker for NABE, the Bar Leadership Institute and the Conference of County Bar Leaders. She also serves as the local bar association�s representative to the Berks County Chamber of Commerce. Kittrell has been the executive director of the Berks County Bar Association for more than 22 years.