The Bickham-Hale Award is named after FOI Oklahoma founder Sue Hale and first executive director Kay Bickham.

2023-24: William “Bill” Crum, longtime FOI Oklahoma board member
2022: Mark Thomas, executive VP of the Oklahoma Press Association
2021: Andy Moore, FOI Oklahoma Exec Dir 2018 - 2021
2020: Bill Hickman, Rose State College
2019: Bill Young, Oklahoma Dept. of Libraries