WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Electronic Signature and Records Association (ESRA), the premier trade association representing electronic signature adopters and providers, awarded five individuals the ESRA Cornerstone Award at its annual conference, eSignRecords2014. This lifetime achievement award honors an individual, group or company that has significantly contributed to the underlying foundation and advancement of electronic signatures and records.

“ESRA established the Cornerstone Award to recognize the enduring influence of industry leaders and their work to benefit the public, businesses and government alike,” said Bill Brice, chairman for ESRA and CEO of AlphaTrust. “Without the work of these five individuals, we likely still would not be able to use electronic documents and signatures in business as we do today.”

The award, along with honorary ESRA lifetime individual membership, was presented to Steve Bisbee, president and CEO of eOriginal; Amelia Boss, Trustee Professor of Law at Drexel University; Patricia Fry, former commissioner of the Uniform Law Conference; Jeffrey Ritter, external lecturer for the University of Oxford and digital information expert for jeffreyritter.com; and David Whitaker, counsel for BuckleySandler LLP. This group became acquainted in the late 1980s, working together tirelessly outside of their day jobs to accomplish a common goal of legalizing electronic signatures beginning in 1999. These pioneers in the development of electronic signatures and records law were also featured during a keynote panel at ESRA’s eSignRecords2014 discussing the history of the ABA and Uniform Law Commission’s involvement in promoting eCommerce.

ESRA’s eSignRecords2014 was held Nov. 12-13 in New York City and united technology providers, businesses and legal professionals to discuss the latest technology, regulatory considerations and business applications for e-signatures and records. Attendees across several industries gained a stronger understanding of how to legally and cost effectively incorporate e-signature technology into their business models to streamline operations while better serving their customers.

About ESRA

The Electronic Signature and Records Association (ESRA) is the premier trade association representing electronic signature and records industry adopters and providers. Founded in 2006, the organization’s primary mission is to educate its members and the public on legal, public policy, regulatory and operational issues in relation to the use of electronic signatures and records across various industries. For more information, visit www.esignrecords.org.