SONOMA, CALIF. — The Bread Bakers Guild of America has presented its highest award, the Professor Raymond Calvel Award, to Craig Ponsford and Abram Faber.

The Calvel Award, which prior to 2007 was called the Golden Baguette Award, recognizes individuals for extraordinary service to the artisan baking community. The award is named in honor of the late Mr. Calvel, a French scientist, baker and researcher who is considered by many in the industry to be the father of modern artisan baking.

Mr. Ponsford, the owner of Ponsford’s Place in San Rafael, Calif., was a member of Bread Bakers Guild Team USA in 1996, when he won a gold medal for his bread at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Cup of Baking). He was a member of the Guild’s board of directors from 1995 to 2010 and was chairman from 2002 to 2010.

Mr. Faber, who with his wife, Christy Timon, owns Clear Flour Bread in Brookline, Mass., was on The Guild’s board for 12 years, including 6 years as vice-chairman. He was the director of two Camp Breads, national baking education events sponsored by The Guild in 2005 and 2007.

The awards were presented at the closing celebration of WheatStalk, the Guild’s three-day national baking event held at Kendall College in Chicago on June 28-30.

Past recipients of the Calvel Award /Golden Baguette Award include Christian Vabret (2007), Jeffrey Hamelman (2005), Frank and Brinna Sands (2004), Didier Rosada (2003), Michel Suas (2002), and Greg Mistell (2001).