Previous Recipients

2023
Paul Barnard, U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
Judy Schink, Aqua Alert
Gary Jarvis, Destin City Council Mayor

2022 
Lieutenant Mark Brown, Oklahoma Highway Patrol

2021
Vicki Rhodes, Delaware DNR & Environmental Control, Division of Fish Management (ret.)

2020
Caroline Mantel, Director Business Development, Boat History Report

2019
No award given.

2018
No award given.

2017 
No award given. 

2016
Tammy Terry, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Watercraft Division

2015
Joseph Gatfield, Chief Commander, Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons

2014
Chris Edmonston, President, BoatUS Foundation

2013
Virgil Chambers, Executive Director, National Safe Boating Council

2012
Margaret Podlick, President, BoatUS

2011
Gary Haupt, Missouri State Highway Patrol

2010
Tim Baumgarten, Arizona Game and Fish Department

2009
Frank Peterson, President/CEO, Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation

2008
Vice Admiral David P. Pekoske, Commander, Pacific Area, U.S. Coast Guard

2007
Mark Rosenker, Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board

2006
Coalition of Parents & Families for PWC Safety

2005
Roger Hagie, Director of Public Affairs, Kawasaki Motors Corps, USA

2004
Charlie Sledd, Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries

2003
Larry Innis, Marine Retailers Association of America

2002
Jeff Hoedt, U.S. Coast Guard, former BLA for Idaho and Ohio

2001
Richard Murray, Boating Law Administrator, Massachusetts

2000
Alvin Taylor, Boating Law Administrator, South Carolina

1999
Jim Hall, Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board

1998
No award given.

1997
Ed Carter, Boating Law Administrator, Tennessee

1996
Leroy Orvis, Boating Law Administrator, Nebraska

1995
John F. Simmons, Boating Administrator, Pennsylvania

1994
Lt. Col. Charles Clark, Boating Law Administrator, Louisiana

1993
Derrick Crandall, American Recreation Coalition

1992
Richard Snyder, Mercury Marine

1991
Richard Bogue, Underwriters Laboratories

1990
Randy Dill, Boating Law Administrator, Connecticut

1989
James Getz, Boating Law Administrator, Illinois

1988
William Ladd, Outdoor Empire Publishing

1987
Michael Sciulla, BOAT/U.S. Inc.

1986
Kim Elverum, Boating Law Administrator, Minnesota

1985
Merlin Johns, Boating Law Administrator, Oklahoma

1984
Fay Ainsworth, Outdoor Empire Publishing Inc.

1983
Richard Schwartz, BOAT/U.S. Inc.

1982
Al Bernardi, Underwriters Laboratories

1981
CDR Dave Smith, U.S. Coast Guard (ret.)

1980
George Stewart Jr., Boating Law Administrator, Delaware

1979
Andrew Cordell, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

1978
Robert W. Dyke, Boating Law Administrator, Michigan

1977
Leonard Bouler, Boating Law Administrator (ret.), Mississippi

1976
Al Simon, Past President, National Boating Federation

1975
Lachlan Richards, Boating Law Administrator (ret.), California

1974
No award given.

1973
Keith Wilson, Chief, Waterways Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

1972
Jeff Napier, General Counsel, Boating Industry Association

1971
Carl and Ricki Sheppard, “Philadelphia Bulletin,” Pennsylvania

1970
Ron Stone, Director of Government Relations, Boating Industry Association

1969
Admiral Roland Smith, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard