2012 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Charlie Pelizza, Pelican Island NWRC, FL
Refuge Employee of the Year: Kathleen O’Brien, Rachel Carson NWR, ME
Volunteer of the Year: David Govatski, Silvio O Conte NF&WR, MA
Friends Group of the Year: Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society, Alligator River and Pea Island NWRs, NC
2011 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Kenneth Litzenberger of Southeast Louisiana NWRC, LA
Refuge Employee of the Year: Dave Mauser of Klamath Basin NWRC, CA
Volunteer of the Year: Denis Mudderman of Tamarac NWR, MN
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Chassahowitzka NWRC, FL
2010 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Kevin Foerster of Sacramento NWRC, CA
Refuge Employee of the Year: Vernon Byrd of Alaska Maritime NWR, AK
Volunteer of the Year: Zeeger de Wilde of Chesapeake Marshlands NWRC, MD & VA
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Alaska NWRs, AK
2009 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Greg Siekaniec of Alaska Maritime NWR, AK
Refuge Employee of the Year: Baron Horiuchi of Hakalau Forest NWR, HI
Volunteer of the Year: Marie Spring of Walkill River NWR, NJ
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Pool 9, Upper Mississippi River NW&FR – McGregor District, IA
2008 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Kevin Brennan of Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, MN
Refuge Employee of the Year: Clyde Morris of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay NWR, CA
Volunteer of the Year: John Bertrand of Bosque del Apache NWR, NM
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Sherburne NWR, MN
2007 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Don Hultman of Upper Mississippi River NF&WR
Refuge Employee of the Year: Bill Giese of Blackwater NWR, MD
Volunteer of the Year: Marion Sansing of Noxubee NWRC, MS
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of San Luis Valley NWR’s, CA
2006 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Glenn Carowan of Chesapeake Marsh NWRC, VA and MD
Refuge Employee of the Year: John Schomaker, Division of Conservation Planning, Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region
Volunteer of the Year: Tim Anderson of Seal Beach NWR, CA
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Great Swamp NWR, NJ
2005 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Roy W. Lowe of Oregon Coast NWRC, OR
Refuge Employee of the Year: Laura Brandt of A.R.M. Loxahatche NWR, FL
Volunteer of the Year: Ervin Davis of National Bison Range, MT
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Black Bayou, LA
2004 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Michael Bryant of Alligator River NWRC, NC
Refuge Employee of the Year: John Taylor of Bosque del Apache NWR, NM
Volunteer of the Year: Ken and Darlene Fiske of “Ding” Darling NWR, FL
Friends Group of the Year: Chincoteague Natural History Association, VA
2003 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Michael Rearden of Yukon Delta NWR, AK
Refuge Employee of the Year: Anne Blakely of National Elk Refuge, WY
Volunteer of the Year: Jim Montgomery of Bitter Lake NWR, NM
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Blackwater, MD
2002 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Ron Bisbee of Texas Mid-Coast NWRs, Texas
Refuge Employee of the Year: Kristine Askerooth of Tewaukon NWR, North Dakota
Volunteer of the Year: Melissa Owen of Buenos Aires NWR, Arizona
Friends Group of the Year: Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society of Alligator River and Pea Island NWRs, North Carolina
2001 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Al Trout of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah
Refuge Employee of the Year: David Jamiel of Two Ponds NWR, Colorado
Volunteer of the Year: Harry Sanders of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay NWR, California
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Refuges, IA, IL, MN, WI
2000 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Mark Musaus of A.R.M. Loxahatchee NWR, Florida
Refuge Employee of the Year: Ron Phernetton of Okefenokee NWR, Georgia
Volunteers of the Year: Paul and Ann Smith of Chincoteague NWR, Virginia
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of the Rydell Refuge Association, MN
1999 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Dean Rundle of the San Diego Refuge Complex, California
Refuge Employee of the Year: Matthew Magoffin of San Bernardino NWR, Arizona
Volunteers of the Year: Bill Milling, Elaine Wilmers, and Harold and Susan Nugent of National Key Deer NWR, Florida
Friends Group of the Year: “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society of the J.N. “Ding” Darling NWR, Florida
1998 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Jay R. Bellinger of Kodiak NWR, Alaska
Refuge Employee of the Year: Sharon Ware of Monomoy NWR, Massachusetts
Volunteer of the Year: Molly Krival of J.N. “Ding” Darling NWR, Florida
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Minnesota Valley NWR, MN
1997 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Louis Hinds of J.N.Ding Darling NWR, Florida
Refuge Employee of the Year: Jack Jeffrey of Hakalau NWR, Hawaii
Volunteers of the Year: Judy Dryja of Merritt Island NWR, Florida; and Bill Buchanan of John Heinz NWR, Pennsylvania
1996 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Phil Norton of Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico
Refuge Employee of the Year: Thomas V. Stehn of Aransas NWR, Texas
Volunteers of the Year: Richard “Don” Perry of Pea Island and Alligator River NWRs, North Carolina
1995 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: John Schroer of Chincoteague NWR, Virginia
Refuge Employee of the Year: Gary Sullivan of Benton Lake NWR, Montana
Volunteers of the Year: Karl W. Haller of Hagerman NWR, Texas; and Molly P. Brown of Back Bay NWR, Virginia
1994 Recipients
Refuge Manager of the Year: Steve Thompson of Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas
Volunteer of the Year: Richard D. Van Deman of Nisqually NWR, Washington
