LOS ANGELES—The Hollywood Professional Association has singled out Michelle Munson as its recipient for the 2016 Charles S. Swartz Award. The co-founder and CEO of Aspera, Munson has earned the award for her “significant impact across diverse aspects of the industry,” according to HPA’s press release.

Michelle Munson

In founding Aspera in 2004 with Serban Simu, Munson has helped craft the direction of Aspera, as well as co-invent its FASP transport technology. Munson also participates as a speaker on technologies and trends around big data transport, cloud infrastructure and mobile.

“The Charles S. Swartz Award has special meaning to the HPA,” said Seth Hallen, president of HPA in its announcement. “It is bestowed with thoughtful consideration, and only when the Board and Awards Committee feel that there is a worthy and undeniable recipient. Michelle Munson is such a person. Her intellect, talent, technical leadership, and entrepreneurial creativity represent the very cornerstone of what the Charles S. Schwartz Award is meant to recognize.”

Munson joins a list of former Swartz Award recipients that include Ben Burtt, Elizabeth Daley and Ray Dolby.

The HPA will present Munson with the Charles S. Swartz Award during the HPA Awards on Nov. 17 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.