Jane O Award for Advocacy Presented to Martin Fleischhacker

2025 Jane O Award

We were honored to recognize Martin Fleischhacker as our 2025 Jane Ochrymowycz Award for Advocacy Recipient during the 2025 WEAAD conference.

 

Martin (Marty) Fleischhacker served as the Senior Financial Fraud Ombudsman & Civil Enforcement Liaison at the Minnesota Department of Commerce where he advanced a robust institutional response to financial exploitation of seniors.  Before that, he served as the Assistant Commissioner for the Enforcement Division for 6 years.  His career at Commerce began in 1999 and has also included other investigator and management positions. He retired from this impressive Commerce career just this year.

 

He was nominated for the Jane O Advocacy Award by ten individuals who worked with Marty over the years. In that nomination they summarize the impact he has had in the elder justice field by saying, “Marty Fleischhacker is a model elder justice advocate. His commitment to this cause has had a profound impact, strengthening the state’s ability to serve and protect its aging population and elevating Minnesota to a national leader in elder justice policy.”

Marty Fleischhacker with nominators Jay Haapala and Marti DeLiema and ceremony emcee Iris Freeman.

Marty and his family: wife June, daughter Haley and son-in-law Devon.

The purpose of the Jane Ochrymowycz Award for Advocacy is to recognize Minnesotans for their outstanding advocacy for vulnerable adults.  Prior recipients include:
  • 2012 – Amy Sweasy, Senior Prosecutor, Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
  • 2013 – Iris Freeman, President, Board of Directors, Minnesota Elder Justice Center
  • 2014 – Scott Campbell, Duluth Police Department, Retired; advocate leading to financial exploitation changes with State v. Campbell
  • 2015 – Carmen Castaneda, Hennepin County Adult Protection Program Manager
  • 2016 – Dave Hall, Carlton County Adult Protection Social Worker
  • 2017 – Barb Doherty, Minnesota Department of Human Services, Retired
  • 2018 – Tara Patet, Senior Prosecutor, St Paul City Attorney’s Office
  • 2019 – Anita Raymond, Care Management & Consultation, Center for Excellence in Supported Decision Making, Volunteers of America-Minnesota
  • 2021 – Marsha Berry, Trainer and Education Consultant, Rainbow Health
  • 2022 – Louise Starr, Supervisor, Dakota County Social Services
  • 2023 – Cheryl Hennen, State Ombudsman for Long-Term Care
  • 2024 – Anita Boucher and Jeff Bangsberg, Independent Advocates