Awards

Awards of Excellence Presented by
the Florida Lake Management Society

Each year, our Society solicits nominations for a variety of individual awards. Nominations are accepted at any time during the year and are awarded at each year’s annual conference.

Please submit individual nominations using this form:

Please include a statement supporting your nomination which provides information about the nominee, his/her qualifications for the award, and why you think they deserve the award.

FLMS Individual Awards

The Marjorie Carr Award – is the Society’s highest award and is given for life time work on behalf of Florida’s aquatic resources. This award
is named in honor of Marjorie Carr who, among other things, organized citizens and brought to an end the proposed Cross Florida Barge Canal.

Past award winners are:

• Hal Scott (1990)
• Vince Williams (1991)
• Cassie and David Gluckman (1993)
• Johnny Jones (1994)
• Richard Coleman (1995)
• Helen Spivey (1996)
• Nat Reed (2000)
• Mike Kasha (2001)
• Everett Kelly (2002)
• Joe E. Hill (2003)
• Jake Stowers (2004)
• Henry Dean (2005)
• Not awarded in 2006
• Dean Barber (2007)
• Ross Hamilton (2008)
• Not awarded in 2009
• John Brenneman (2010)
• Richard G. Hamann (2011)
• Roy G. Harrell, Jr. (2012)
• Emilio “Sonny” Vergara (2013)
• Russ Frydenborg (2014)
• Dr. Lisa Beever (2015)
• Not awarded in 2016
• Dr. Jim Griffin (2017)
• Mark Hoyer (2018)
• Dr. Harvey Harper (2019)
• Dr. Sherry Brandt (2020)

The Edward Deevey, Jr. Award – is given to an individual for contributing to our scientific understanding of Florida’s water bodies. Edward Deevey was an internationally recognized limnologist and affiliated with the State Museum of Florida at the time of his death.

Past recipients include:

• William Beck (Florida A&M University, 1990)
• Jim Hulbert (FDEP, 1991)
• Howard T. Odum (University of Florida, 1993)
• Tom Crisman (University of Florida, 1994)
• Marty Wanielista (University of Central Florida, 1995)
• Dr. Dan Canfield (University of Florida, 1996)
• K. R. (Ramesh) Reddy (University of Florida, 1998)
• Karl Havens (South Florida Water Management District, 1999)
• Claire Schelske (University of Florida, 2000)
• Betty Rushton (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2003)
• Not awarded in 2004
• Not awarded in 2005
• Not awarded in 2006
• Not awarded in 2007
• Mark Hoyer (University of Florida, 2008)
• Dr. Mike Coveney (St. Johns River Water Management District, 2009)
• Not awarded in 2010
• Joseph J. Delfino (University of Florida, 2011)
• Dr. Roger Bachmann (University of Florida, 2012)
• Mark Brenner (University of Florida, 2013)
• Dr. Erich Marzolf (Suwannee River Water Management District, 2014)
• Dr. Thomas J. Whitmore (University of South Florida, 2015)
• Dr. Ann Shortelle (St. Johns River Water Management District, 2016)
• Judy Ott (Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, 2017)
• Dr. Lyn Gettys (University of Florida, 2018)
• Dr. Rolland Fulton (St. Johns River Water Management District, 2019)
• Dr. Michael Netherland (University of Florida & USACE, 2020)

The Scott Driver Award – is given to an environmental advocate who has promoted the restoration, protection and/or appreciation of Florida’s aquatic resources. Scott was a well know activist on behalf of Lake Okeechobee and a member of the steering committee that founded the FLMS at the time of his death.

Past honorees include:

• Helen Spivey (1990)
• Jim Hawley ( 1991)
• Wayne Nelson (1993)
• Jim Thomas (1994)
• Tom Reese (1995)
• Judith Hancock (1999)
• Carroll Head (2000)
• Mary Carter (2001)
• Al Cheatum (2002)
• Thomas E. Fortson (2003)
• Beverly Sidenstick (2004)
• Joanne Spurlino (2005)
• Barbara Ketchum (2006)
• Robert King (2007)
• Lake Powell Community Alliance (2008)
• Not awarded in 2009
• Ron Miller (2010)
• Roger Bass (2011)
• Fritzi Olsen (2012)
• Jill Heinerth (2013)
• Not awarded in 2014
• Clyde Butcher (2015)
• Not awarded in 2016
• Not awarded in 2017
• Carlton Layne (2018)
• Jim Thomas (2019)
• Dr. Leesa Souto (2020)

The Richard Coleman Aquatic Resources Award – is given to a professional who has worked to restore, protect and/or advance our understanding of Florida’s aquatic resources.

Past recipients include:

• Eric Livingston (Florida Deparetment ot Environmental Protection, 1990)
• William Wegener (Florida Game & Freshwater Fish Commission, 1991)
• Paul Shaffland (Florida Game & Freshwater Fish Commission, 1993)
• Jeff Spence (1994)
• Sandy Fisher (LakeWatch, 1995)
• Rob Mattson (St. Johns River Water Managment District, 1997)
• Kim Schildt (Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 2000)
• Jess Van Dyke (Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 2001)
• Patrick J. Lehman ( Peace River/Manasota Water Supply Authority , 2002)
• Lothian Ager (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2003)
• Dr. Marty Kelly (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2004)
• Dr. Harvey Harper (Environmental Research & Design, 2005)
• Dr. Edgar F. Lowe (St. Johns River Water Management District, 2006)
• Rae Ann Wessel (2007)
• Michael Hill (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2008)
• Kevin McCann (City of Orlando, 2009)
• Jim Hulbert (Rollins College, 2010)
• Rick Baird (Orange County, 2011)
• Mike Britt (City of Winter Haven, 2012)
• John Hendrickson (St. Johns River Water Management District, 2013)
• Dr. Sherry Brandt (St. Johns River Water Management District, 2014)
• Not awarded in 2015
• Robert Kollinger (Polk County, 2016)
• Not awarded in 2017
• Tom Morris (Karst Environmental Service, 2018)
• Tim Egan (City of Winter Park, 2019)
• Kelly Hammer Levy (Pinellas County, 2020)

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award – is given to individuals in the media who report on aquatic resource issues. This award is named in honor of Marjory Stoneman Douglas who authored the book”Everglades: River of Grass”, founded the Friends of the Everglades and who was environmentally active in south Florida.

Past recipients include:

• John Moran (2000, Gainesville Sun)
• Georgia Davis (2001, Florida Crossroads & Capitol Update)
• Victor Hull (2002, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
• Dave McDaniel (2003, WESH)
• Bob Hite, (2004, News Anchor, WFLA)
• Not awarded in 2005
• Ron Littlepage (2006, editorial page columnist for the Florida Times-Union)
• Not awarded in 2007
• Bruce Ritchie (2008, environmental correspondent, Tallahassee Democrat)
• Not awarded in 2009
• Not awarded in 2010
• Bill Belleville (2011, author, filmmaker)
• Cynthia Barnett (2012, author)
• Jeff Klinkenberg (2013, author, columnist for St. Petersburg Times)
• Craig Pittman (2014)
• Not awarded in 2015
• Leslie Kemp Poole (2016, author, professor)
• Wateratlas.org (2017, University of South Florida Water Institute Project)
• Tom Fitz (Cinematographer, 2018)
• WKMG News Channel 6 (2019)
• WGCU-Gulf Coast Live (2020)

The Bob Graham Award – is given to persons elected to office who demonstrate a commitment to lake and aquatic resource conservation. Bob Graham is remembered for his support of many environmental initiatives including the purchase for preservation of thousands of acres of Gulf Coast wetlands.

Past recipients include:

• Robert B. Rackleff and Debbie Lightsey (2001)
• Shannon Staub (2002)
• Cliff Barnes (2003)
• Not awarded in 2004
• Sen. Ken Pruitt (2005)
• John Delaney (2006,President of the University of North Florida and former Mayor of Jacksonville) &
• Senator Jim King, (2006 Florida Senate District 8)
• Don Ross (2007)
• Commissioner Cindy Meadows (2008)
• Not awarded in 2009
• Not awarded in 2010
• Sen. Lee Constantine (2011)
• Not awarded in 2012
• Not awarded in 2013
• Senator Charles Dean & Senator Joe Negron (2014)
• Not awarded in 2015
• Not awarded in 2016
• Not awarded in 2017
• Not awarded in 2018
• Not awarded in 2019
• Not awarded in 2020

President’s Award – is given at the discretion of the FLMS President, for contributions by individuals on behalf of the society.

• Nancy Page (1999)
• Julie McCrystal (2000)
• Erich Marzolf (2001)
• Chuck Hanlon (2002)
• Chuck Hanlon (2003)
• Jim Griffin (2004)
• Erich Marzolf (2005)
• John Burns & Michelle Jeansonne (2006)
• Erich Marzolf (2007)
• Michael Perry (2008)
• Todd Olson (2009)
• Shannon Carter Wetzel (2010)
• Sherry Brandt (2011)
• Sherry Brandt (2012)
• Jennifer Sagan (2013)
• Jim Griffin (2014)
• Lance Lumbard (2015)
• Todd Olson (2016)
• Sergio Duarte (2017)
• Ron Hart (2018)
• Ernesto Lasso de la Vega (2019)
• John Gardner (2020)

The Dr. Daniel E. Canfield, Jr. Volunteerism Award is given to a volunteer organization or outstanding volunteer for significant contributions to the research, restoration and/or preservation of our water resources.  The award is named after Dr. Daniel Canfield, founder of Florida LAKEWATCH, the pioneering citizen-volunteer water quality monitoring program involving over 1,200 lakes statewide, and now being emulated across the United States.

• Florida LAKEWATCH (2016)
• Seminole County SERV (2017)
• Lake County Adopt-a-Lake Program (2018)
• Aquatic Preserve Alliance (2019)
• Pondwatch (2020)

The Marissa L. Williams Young Professional Award is presented to a young lake management professional who exhibits exemplary professional accomplishments and a commitment to water resource protection and management of our lakes and watersheds. The award is named after Marissa Lynn Williams who dedicated her professional life to lake management and her personal time working with non-profits furthering research, education, preservation, and exploration of the aquatic realm. Marissa was a FLMS Board member at the time of her passing.

• Dr. Dana Bigham Stephens (2016)
• Nia Wellendorf (2017)
• Not awarded in 2018
• Patrick Goodwin (2019)
• Dawn Ritter (2020)

FLMS Symposium Student Presenter Awards 2019

1st Place ~ Audrey Goeckner, University of Florida
                     “Carbon Dynamics of Urban Stormwater Ponds: Burial, Gas Flux, and DOM Composition”
2nd Place ~ Richie Gray, Northwest Florida State College
                     “Relationships between Macrophtye Communities and Salinity among Northwest Florida Coastal Dune Lakes”
3rd Place ~ Marina Schwartz, University of Florida
                     “Effects of Nutrient Reduction on the Water Quality and Large Mouth Bass Poplulation in Lake Alice, Gainesville, Florida”

Poster Winner ~ Forrest Lefler, University of Florida
                     “The Effects of Algaecides and Herbicides on a Microsystis Winter Bloom in Lake Okeechobee, Florida”

FLMS Winners of the State Science & Engineering Fair of Florida

Past Recipients

• Adam Rooney (Junior); Laurel Griggs (Senior) (1999)
• John Hinchee (Junior); Matthew Anderson (Senior) (2001)
• Sean Happel (Junior); Patrick L. Geer (Senior) (2002)
• Sean Happel (Junior); Patrick L. Geer (Senior) (2003)
• Laura E. Fox (Junior); Mackenzie T. Laroe (Senior) (2004)
• Nicole Weedo (Junior); Charles Daniel Lewis (Senior) (2005)
• (Junior); (Senior) (2006)
• Alexa M. McCarthy (Junior); Nia K. Brisbane (Senior) (2007)
• Doaa Eltemtamy (Junior); Cyden M. Lawn (Senior) (2010)
• Taylor Rejsek (Junior); Roshan Patel (Senior) (2011)
• Kendall Karcher (Junior);Tyler Warfel (Senior) (2012)
• Emily Carr (Junior); Jamie Odzer (Senior) (2013)