The States Organization for Boating Access (SOBA) is happy to announce a call for its 2011 awards nominations. Each year SOBA requests nominations for the following awards:

• The William H. Ivers Award
• Outstanding Service Award
• Professional Service Award
• Special Recognition Award
• State Boating Access Program Excellence Award
• State Clean Vessel (CVA) Program Excellence Award
• Outstanding Project Awards in Four (4) categories: 1) small, 2) mid-size, 3) large, and 4) marina and harbors.

The awards will be presented at SOBA’s 25th anniversary conference, September 26-29, 2011, in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Your Nominations are Worth the Effort!
Recognition of outstanding work is very important and all too often outstanding work goes unrecognized. The SOBA Awards Program allows us to help you by recognizing outstanding achievement of your staff, your peers, and the many cooperators and partners you work with. The SOBA Executive Board makes an extra effort to recognize outstanding work; a nomination in itself is a statement of recognition and definitely worth the effort!

How to Nominate
A complete description of award criteria for all nominations is provided below. (NOTE: Outstanding Project Awards submitted in 2010 that were unsuccessful are automatically resubmitted in 2011 for consideration.) New Nominations should be forwarded electronically to Dave Kieffer no later than May 13, 2011 in one of two ways:

• By email (15 MG or less)
• Copied and mailed on a CD

All work initiatives should be completed when your nomination information is submitted, and if in rare circumstances this is not possible, please contact Dave Kieffer directly.

Primary Contact:
David Kieffer
Division of Watercraft
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
2045 Morse Road; Building A-2
Columbus, OH 43224
Telephone: 614-265-6972
Cell: 614-309-9430
Fax: 614-262-2197
Email: dave.kieffer@dnr.state.oh.us

Secondary Contact:
Forrest Boe
Deputy Director, Parks & Trails Division
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
Telephone: 651-259-5615
Cell: 612-382-0855
Fax: 651-297-5475
Email: Forrest.Boe@state.mn.us

Award Descriptions

The William H. Ivers Award is presented to an individual who has contributed significantly over at least 15 years to the design, construction, management or administration of boat access facilities or programs. The nominee’s contributions will exemplify high standards of professionalism and outstanding achievement.

The Outstanding Service Award is presented to an individual or to an agency who have made either a one-time or continuing contribution to improved access on our nation’s public waters for boaters and anglers.

The Professional Service Award is presented to an individual SOBA member or to a group of SOBA members (most often a designated Task Force or Committee) for service on a special project or for ongoing efforts on behalf of SOBA’s mission.

The Special Recognition Award is presented to an individual, group, organization or political subdivision in recognition of activities that are singularly illustrative or supportive of SOBA’s mission.

The State Boating Access Program Excellence Award is presented to a state agency that has primary responsibility for boat access development, and which has excelled over time and provided outstanding service to its residents and visitors to the state.

The State Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Program Excellence Award is presented to a state agency that has primary responsibility for the state clean vessel act program, and which has excelled over time and provided outstanding service to its residents and visitors to the state.

The Outstanding Project Awards are presented to agencies, groups, local government, or corporations involved in boating access projects that are judged to be useful, high quality, unique, economical and/or innovative. There are four (4) project award categories: 1) small, 2) mid-size, 3) large, and 4) marina and harbors (includes BIG projects).