William H. Ivers Award 2010 Recipient: Mike Hough, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife (retired) Hough has been actively involved in countless SOBA activities, including serving as the organization's President in 2000. This award is SOBA's most prestigious individual award named to honor the memory of its namesake who helped found the organization. 2009 Recipient: Erasto Nieves, Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Erasto is considered the pioneer for public boating access in Puerto Rico over the last 30 years. 2008 Recipient: Dan P. Thompson, State of Alabama, nominated by Terry Boyd, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources For his 38 years of service to the State of Alabama with 17 of those years in the position of Capital Development Coordinator where he managed and operated 125 freshwater public access boat ramps, as well as oversaw the contruction and renovation of many construction projects. In addition, he has served on the SOBA Board of Directors and on several SOBA task forces. 2007 Recipient: Tom Donek, State of Alaska, nominated by Allen Havens, Alaska Fish and Wildlife For his development of the Sport Fish and Boating Access Program in the State of Alaska and involvement with over 100 boating access projects at 70 sites, including land purchases at 15 of those sites. 2006 Recipient: Robert Williams (deceased) c/o Ken Elowe, nominated by George Powell, Maine Department of Conservation For his devotion and contribution as a vocal and passionate proponent of public recreational boating access in the state of Maine. Professional Service Award 2010 Recipient: 2009 construction DVD Committee for their work on the completed DVD: Construction Techniques for Recreational Boating Access Facilities. This committee started their 3 year project in 2007, and the 8 member team donated large periods of time to this effort. Team members included: Terry Boyd (AL), Chairman, Gary Iles (IL), Vice Chairman, James Adams (VA), Kevin Atkinson CA), Tim Bazley (CA), Dave Kieffer (OH), Ted Leverman (IN), and Lacy Nichols (DE). The final product was presented by the committee during SOBA's 2009 annual conference in Corpus Christi, Texas. 2009 Recipient: Vaughn Douglass, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service For providing more than 25 years of federal grant assistance for boating access to the states in Region 5. 2008 Recipient: Gary Iles, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, nominated by Ed Poolos Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency For his commitment to SOBA in the development and execution of the first Build a Better Boat Ramp DVD. 2007 Recipient: Tom Parker, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, nominated by Terry Thomas. For his 34 years of professionalism, integrity and commitment to natural resources and his significant accomplishments involving the 2005 - 2009 Fishing and Motorboat Access Plan, which outlines the current status of Department administered boating facilities. 2006 Recipient: Handbook Rewrite Task Force, nominated by Terry Boyd Task Force consisted of the following people: Terry Boyd, AL, John McPherson (MO), Jill Murphey (ID), Tim Bazely, Bluewater Design Group (CA), Bobby Edwards (WY), Mike Hough (KY), Kent Skaar (MN) - for their dedication, effort and timely completion of the Second Edition SOBA Design Handbook. State Boating Access Program Excellence Award 2010 Recipient: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources For providing continued excellence and service to boating access, and to the people of Wisconsin, and for developing an online database of public access websites. 2009 Recipient: Maine Department of Conservation, Boating Facilities Division For over 40 years of consistently excellent service in providing public boat access to the citizens of Maine. 2008 Recipient: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, nominated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service For excellence in maintaining boating access in a highly urbanized and ecologically sensitive environment. 2007 Recipient: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Tennessee River Boating Trail), nominated by Brian Bohnsack, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service For meetng the demands of transient boaters by utilizing Tier I BIG Program funds to develop a planned trail for transient boating facilities that allows the boaters to enjoy the Tennessee River. 2006 Recipient: Oregon State Marine Board, nominated by Jerry Novotny, Grants Specialist, Big Program, Region One For their grasp of the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program and their ability to deliver the needed facilities to the public. Outstanding Service Award 2010 Recipient: Kim Elverum, Boat and Water Safety Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources For his expertise and commitment to providing Minnesota's boaters and anglers with public boating access sites and consistently seeking ways to maximize the amount of the public access sites completed by the agency. 2009 Recipient: Ted Leverman, Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife For his exceptional career achievements and dedication to providing and maintaining boating access facilities in the state of Indiana. 2008 Recipient: Brian Bohnsack, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, nominated by Ed Poolos, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency For his advocation of recreational boating through his management of CVA and BIG programs for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He has also been a strong supporter of SOBA and through the Sport Fishing and Boating Advisory Council (SFBPC) and the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program reviews. 2007 Recipient: Mike Ammon for his 33 years of service to the boating community in which during that time he was the initiator for what is now known as the California Boating Trails Program. 2006 Recipient: Award not presented. Outstanding Projects - Large Access 2010 Recipient: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft For the Huron River Wildlife Area Ramp Access, Erie County, Ohio. A large scale boating access site was constructed on the Huron River Wildlife Management Area to provide boaters and anglers increased access to Lake Erie's western basin. The new 9 acre development features 4 launch lanes, 135 parking spaces, courtesy docks and modern restroom facilities. The total project cost was $2.4 million. 2009 Recipient: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources For the McQuade Public Access and Small Craft Harbor on Lake Superior located on Lake Superior, nine miles north of Duluth, Minnesota. 2008 Recipient: Charlestown Landing (IN), nominated by Ted Leverman, Indiana Department of Natural Resources A new $2.8 million boat launching facility on the Ohio River in Charlestown State Park. 2007 Recipient: Port of Coose Bay, OR, nominated by Oregon Marine State Board For their almost $600,000 Charleston Ramp renovations project. 2006 Recipient: Grays Bay Public Boat Access, nominated by Kent Skaar, MN DNR A $7.6 million project on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County. Outstanding Project Mid-Size Access 2010 Recipient: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries For the Lawnes Creek Boating Access Facility, Surry County, Virginia. The popular Lawnes Creek Boating Access site was rehabilitated to provide boaters with a safer updated launch site using new alternative construction materials. The total project cost was $220,000. 2009 Recipient: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries For the Gloucester Point Boat Landing located beneath the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge (US Hwy 17) on the north side of the York River in Gloucester County, VA. 2008 Recipient: Blackwater Landing (VA), nominated by James Adams, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries A $1.1 million project on the Blackwater River in the City of Franklin 2007 Recipient: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources/Marine Resources Division, nominated by Terry Boyd For $700,000 Boggy Point Boating Access Facility 2006 Recipient: California State University Aquatic Center, nominated by Mike Ammond (CA Dept. of Boating & Waterways) A $3.8 million project on Lake Natoma. Outstanding Project - Small Access 2010 Recipient: Eight Point Lake Boating Access Development Project, Clare County, Michigan. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment constructed a new one-lane ramp with 22 parking spaces to provide anglers and boaters access to the largest public water body in Clare County. The total project cost was $30,000. 2009 Recipient: World Shooting & Recreational Complex, Illinois Department of Natural Resources For the East Lake and Derby Lake boat access sites located on the World Shooting Complex near the City of Sparta in Southern Illinois. This complex is a 1200 acre site that is home of the U.S. Amateur Trap Shooting Association. 2008 Recipient: Negro Bar Launching Facility CA), nominated by the California Department of Boating and Waterways A $302,000 project on the American River in the City of Folsom. 2007 Recipient: Bureau of Land Management and California Department of Boating and Waterways, nominated by California Departmet of Boating and Waterways For $209,000 Granite Launch and River Access on the Lower Kern River 2006 Recipient: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, nominated by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission A $341,000 project in eastern Cartaret County. Outstanding Project- Marinas and Harbors 2010 Recipient: Straits State Harbor, Mackinaw, Michigan The Michigan Department of Natural Resources converted a previously used ferry terminal into a state of the art public marina. The marina has 134 slips, a 3 lane launch ramp, sewage pumpout facilities while utilizing "green" technologies to limit the environmental impact. The total project cost was $11 million. 2009 Recipient: Pier 39 Marina For the Renovation of Pier 39 in West Basin, California, located on the northeast shore of the San Francisco waterfront and is an important feature of the Fisherman's Warf tourist area. 2008 Recipient: Glass City Marina (OH), nominated by the Ohio Division of Watercraft A $6.3 million project on the Maumee River that is part of a brownfield redevelopment in downtown Toledo. 2007 Recipient: Adams County Parks and Recreation Community, nominated by MSA Professional Services For $1.6 million Petenwell Park Harbor and Refuge. 2006 Recipient: Chippewa Marina, Indian Lake State Park, OH nominated by David Kieffer A $1.1 million marina restoration project at Indian Lake State Park. State Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Program Excellence Award 2010 Recipient: New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Recognized for its efforts with providing sewage pumpout faciliites for recreational boaters and for excellence in accomplishments through partnerships, innovative approaches and thoughtful planning of the New Jersey CVA Program. 2009 Recipient: No nominations were received this year for the this award. 2008 Recipient: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, nominated by Al Ortiz, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service For the State of Connecticut's outstanding CVA outreach program and their openess to share information with other states. 2007 Recipient: Virginia Department of Health, nominated by Ed Poolos, TN Wildlife Resources Agency For being a national CVA program leader and providing over $2 million dollars to marinas for the construction of 95 sewage pumping and handling facilities, and also in assisting in the purchasing of pumpout vessels for area lakes. 2006 Recipient: South Carolina Clean Vessel Act Program, nominated by Ed Poolos For excellence in providing pump-out grants and services that benefit South Carolina boaters and environment. Special Recognition Award 2010 Recipient: Lacy E. Nichols, Jr., Construction Project Manager, Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife Nichols has been a member of SOBA since 1991 and has been involved in numerous committees and task forces. He was instrumental in developing SOBA's renowned Operational and Maintenance Program Guides for Recreational Boating Facilities and also the Boating Access Construction Best Management Practices instructional DVD. 2009 Recipient: Jointly presented to The Lower Colorado River Authority, The City of Austin, and Texas A&M University For their work on Lakes Austin, Lyndon B. Johnson and Travis which examined boating use levels, and user conflicts and perceptions among boaters that will help local officials better manage boating access, recreation, enjoyment and safety on these very heavily used lakes. 2008 Recipient: Jointly presented to BOATU.S. and NMMA Government Relations, both nominated by Ed Poolos, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and 2008 SOBA President For helping to ensure the passage of the Clean Boating Act of 2008, which prevented the implementation of a national permitting program for recreational boaters 2007 Recipient: Andre' Boudreau, Block Island Pumpout Program, and The Committee for the Great Salt Pond for outstanding environmental outreach programs and boating community environmental protection efforts.