Colleagues delivered a sweet surprise to Dr. Frank Ezzo during an October 26 training session. Ezzo chose to lead the training rather than attend an awards ceremony where he was being honored.

Colleagues delivered a sweet surprise to Dr. Frank Ezzo during an October 26 training session. Ezzo chose to lead the training rather than attend an awards ceremony where he was being honored.

Cake and congratulations were clues that something special occurred on Friday in the life of Dr. Frank R. Ezzo, PhD, ABPP, but the award at the center of hubbub was nowhere to be found.

Dr. Ezzo serves as director of Family Conciliation Services for the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court. He’s also a psychologist. On Friday, the Ohio Psychological Association named him as the recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Psychologist Award.

But Dr. Ezzo didn’t attend the awards ceremony, because he was leading a roundtable discussion at the Ohio Supreme Court on assessment and evaluation in child maltreatment cases.

When Kristopher Steele, Ohio Judicial College education program manager, realized Dr. Ezzo was double-booked, he offered for Dr. Ezzo to get his award instead.

“Dr. Ezzo said he’d rather lead the course with his peers than be with his peers to accept an award,” Steele said. “It demonstrates his great commitment to the work we do each day. It’s easy to see why he was recognized for this award.”

Judge Diane M. Palos also praised the award winner.

“Dr. Ezzo is an effective leader of our forensic staff, and the DR Court is happy to know that the OPA appreciates him as much as we do,” she said.