During the presentation of the award, Porter highlighted Kahn’s skillful leadership in his tenure as TMS Technical Activities Committee (TAC) Chairman. Kahn has effectively and efficiently engaged the full TAC membership in the very important function of overseeing TMS technical activities. He established a team culture within the committee by distributing tasks among TAC members. In doing so, he has effectively used the many skills and talents of TAC members to complete critical TAC functions such as document review, ANSI process development, review, and oversight, and management of TMS technical committee operations. He has helped shape the direction of TMS as a Society with reasoned and insightful participation in TMS's Executive Committee. Porter noted that Kahn is a Founding Member of TMS, and was recently made a Fellow member of TMS.

Kahn joins a distinguished list of TMS's most prominent members who have received the President’s Award in the past, which includes James L. Noland, John G. Tawresey, James E. Amrhein, J. Gregg Borchelt, Gary C. Hart, Clayford T. Grimm, William G. Bailey, Daniel P. Abrams, John H. Matthys, Max L. Porter, and Richard R. Klingner,  James Colville, Stuart Beavers, Russell H. Brown, John M. Melander and J. Patrick Rand.