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2022

  • Hartzog Award – Dr. Michael “Mike” Soukup
    Mike served as the NPS Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. He has been a constant advocate for enhanced resource protection funding and support. Among his many achievements, Mike was responsible for the creation and implementation of the Natural Resource Challenge, a $100 million funding initiative that highlighted the protection of natural resources and professionalized the natural resource workforce. Mike continues to promote advanced natural resource learning for NPS employees, and we are proud to recognize his work with this award.
  • The 1872 Award – Maria Burks
    Maria served as Vice Chair of the Executive Council, pulling from her deep knowledge of National Park Service operations to serve as the point of contact for several priority issues. Her dedicated, long-time participation in the every-day work of the Executive Council has assured its success over the years and has guaranteed that the Coalition remains respected as the Voice of Experience. Even after her time on the Executive Council, Maria has continued to help and support the staff and Executive Council members as a strong and vocal advocate. We are proud to recognize Maria with the 1872 award in honor of her service.

2021

  • Hartzog Award – Dr. David Graber
    David Graber (1948-2022) retired in 2014 as Chief Scientist, NPS Pacific West Region. During his career he was instrumental in providing oversight and guidance on some of the most controversial science issues facing the agency. Among his other accomplishments, he was an early champion of the Natural Resources Challenge, provided scientific guidance to several endangered species recovery teams, and executed a groundbreaking study on black bear ecology and behavior. David embodied the importance of scientists and managers working together to protect resources. He was an advocate for science-based management within parks, emphasizing its importance to all levels of park management. Although he has been retired for 7 years, David’s work continues to have a profound and long-lasting effect on science throughout the NPS. The Coalition is proud to award David with the 2021 George Hartzog Award.
  • The 1872 Award – Phil Francis
    Phil served two terms as the Chair of the Coalition’s Executive Council. While it is always a challenging job, Phil led the organization through a particularly tumultuous period for our National Park System. His role as the public face of the Coalition required handling a near-daily raft of high-pressure, time sensitive NPS issues; fielding requests from local, regional, and national news media for comment on those issues; and coordinating work on a variety of internal organizational concerns. And despite the challenges, the Coalition’s capacity and membership experienced remarkable growth under his leadership. Phil’s steady hand and calm, unflappable demeanor helped the entire team pull together and meet the challenges of this most unusual period, and we are proud to recognize Phil with the 1872 Award in honor of this exemplary service to the Coalition.

2020

  • Hartzog Award – Dan Sakura
    Dan’s conservation leadership has generated invaluable solutions to land protection and policy issues at parks ranging from Acadia National Park and Natchez National Historical Park to the Martin Luther King National Historical Park and the newly formed Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. Dan’s tireless work protect our irreplaceable natural and cultural resources, his focus on telling untold and under-told stories, and his exceptional creativity and humility have made him a conservation hero. For these extraordinary efforts, the Coalition is proud to award Dan with the 2020 George Hartzog Award.
  • The 1872 Award – Doug Morris
    This year, the Coalition has selected Doug Morris as the winner. Though Doug retired from a long and distinguished career of service with the National Park Service, he never stopped working for our national parks. Doug’s strong leadership on the Coalition’s Executive Council contributed to the organization’s growing reputation as a professional, non-partisan advocate for the proper management of the National Park System. We are proud to recognize Doug with the 1872 Award in honor of his continued advocacy for our National Park System and his important role in evolving the Coalition from a small group of passionate NPS retirees into a well-established and highly regarded national park advocacy organization.

2019

  • Hartzog Award – Kate Cannon
    In her long career with the NPS, Kate distinguished herself by her leadership and skillful collaboration with neighboring agencies and local communities on a variety of challenging initiatives and issues. In her last, but perhaps most compelling action as Southeast Utah Group Superintendent, Kate publicly voiced and defended her legitimate concerns regarding an NPS directive permitting ATV use in all Utah national parks. She was successful in getting the ill-conceived directive overturned. For nearly 40 years, Kate has demonstrated outstanding leadership and support for the mission of the National Park Service and ensuring the integrity of the units of the National Park System. For these reasons, the Coalition is proud to award Kate with the 2019 George Hartzog Award.
  • Hartzog Award -Roxanne Quimby
    Roxanne has been a passionate and active supporter of our national parks for decades. She was a leading advocate for the creation of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, purchasing and donating over 85,000, acres of land to the new park. Roxanne demonstrated great leadership and perseverance despite high profile opposition. In addition, Roxanne subsequently purchased and donated another 17 critical parcels of land for other national parks across the country, including Acadia, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Saguaro, Colorado NM and Gettysburg. Roxanne has gone to great lengths to ensure the continued protection and preservation of our national parks, reflecting her great love and respect for America’s outstanding National Park System. For these extraordinary efforts, the Coalition is proud to award Roxanne with the 2019 George Hartzog Award.
  • The 1872 Award – Rick Smith
    The 1872 award is given to an individual for outstanding service and support for the mission of the Coalition. This year, the Coalition has selected Rick Smith as the winner. Though Rick retired from a long and distinguished career of service as a National Park Service ranger, trainer, and manager, he has never stopped working for our national parks. Rick was an early leader of the Coalition and served as Chair of the Executive Council. He has also managed the Park Lands Watch site for over a decade, providing a variety of media reports about NPS actions and issues for several hundred individuals every day. We are proud to recognize Rick with the 1872 Award in honor of his continued advocacy for our National Park System and his commitment to ensuring that other NPS people, partners, and advocates are informed and updated on park news.

2018

  • Hartzog Award – Dan Wenk
    In his long career with the NPS, Dan has worked in numerous parks and capacities. He retired in 2018 as the Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park. Dan has been considered the epitome of an effective modern park manager and has been an excellent role model for park managers to emulate. For more than 40 years, Dan Wenk has demonstrated outstanding leadership, integrity, and class in his support of the mission of the National Park Service. For these reasons, the Coalition is proud to award Dan with the 2018 George Hartzog Award.
  • The 1872 Award – Bill Halainen
    Known as “Mr. Communication,” Bill worked for the NPS for over forty years. Though he retired from the NPS in 2007, he continued to edit both The Morning Report and Inside NPS as a contractor until 2015. Today, Bill devotes countless hours to compiling The Weekly Report for Coalition members, a roundup of news and events happening throughout the National Park System. Bill received the George Hartzog Award in 2014. We are now proud to recognize Bill with the 1872 Award in honor of his continued dedication to ensuring that past and current NPS employees are still connected to the news from parks across the country.

2017

  • Hartzog Award – Kurt Repanshek
    Kurt is founder and CEO of the National Parks Traveler that has 1.6 million readers annually. Kurt has been a strong supporter of and advocate for the National Park system and has raised important issues and concerns about the management of the parks. His efforts have raised awareness of challenges facing our parks and have been an important component of the ongoing dialogue about preserving parks for future generations.
  • The 1872 Award – Maureen Finnerty
    Maureen has served on the Executive Council for the past twelve years, six of which, she served as Chair. Maureen has led a wide variety of advocacy for parks and the National Park System has remained a central focus of the Coalition. Efforts to influence decision-making that protect park values have included input to the courts of law, the court of public opinion, Congress, and other land management agencies. Maureen is the glue that connected the Executive Council and inspired our contributions throughout her service as Chair.

2016

  • Hartzog Award – David Brooks and Molly Ross
    As a congressional staff member for nearly 30 years, David Brooks has been responsible for shaping some of the most consequential national park and environmental legislation enacted by Congress. Over the past four years, Molly Ross, former special assistant to the Director of the NPS, prepared all the details, including research, public contact, drafting of the Secretary’s Memorandum to the President, and the Presidential Proclamation itself, for 15 new NPS National Monuments. Here is a letter from Molly Ross about receiving this award.
  • The 1872 Award – Janet McDonnell
    This award is given annually by the Coalition to an individual for their outstanding service and support for the mission of the Coalition. We selected, former NPS historian and Coalition member, for her assistance in presenting our monthly Centennial biography series. In all, 70 biographies were completed.

2015

  • Hartzog Award – George Minnucci
    George Minnucci, Eastern National’s recently retired chief executive officer, was presented with the 2015 George Hartzog Award by Kevin Kissling, the new CEO of Eastern National, on behalf of The Coalition. Mr. Minnucci was presented the Hartzog Award for his over 4 decades of significant support of the servicewide NPS interpretive program.  Minnucci’s hands-on, personal approach was critical in developing lasting relationships with the NPS that serve the parks and Eastern National now and into the future.
  • 1872 Award – Deny Galvin
    Deny Galvin was presented with the 2015 CPANP 1872 Award by Maureen Finnerty for his dedicated, outstanding service and support for the mission and goals of the Coalition. Deny continues to counsel, guide and support the Coalition on numerous wide-ranging issues of concern, helping us to protect our National Parks.

2014

  • Hartzog Award – Bill Halainen
    Retired but still a part-time contractor for the NPS, Bill has remained fully engaged in promoting and assisting the NPS throughout his NPS career. While working for NPS he was the Editor of The Morning Report from the 1980s until his retirement. During the course of his career, Bill was routinely called upon to provide information and assistance to a great many offices and people within the NPS organization and family. Additionally, Bill was instrumental in establishing the International Ranger Federation. His efforts were key to getting the organization launched. For his many years of patience, commitment, persistence and expertise, and for being “Mr. Communication” for the National Park Service, the Coalition is very proud to present the 2014 George Hartzog, Jr. Award.
  • Hartzog Award – Brian D. Winter
    Brian has been the lead for the Elwha River restoration in Olympic National Park since 1985. First working for the Elwha Tribe, then for the National Park Service, Brian has been the primary point person for all aspects of the removal of Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams and associated restoration activities. Brian worked tirelessly with all stakeholders, contractors, engineers, and biologists to continually move the project forward to completion.
  • 1872 Award – None

2013

  • Hartzog Award – Charles R. “Butch” Farabee
    Since retiring from the National Park Service, Butch has continued to “stay involved” in the national park ranger profession. Butch has devoted a significant amount of time and other personal resources to researching and documenting the “administrative histories” of several ranger-related occupational techniques and practices now common in the National Park Service. These include the NPS “diving program” and the “special events and incident management programs.” In addition, he is researching and documenting the administrative history of the “ranger profession” in Yosemite National Park. These administrative histories are undertakings that would never have been high enough in priority to be done officially by the NPS, but the products will provide long-lasting historical documentation that will be useful to the NPS for decades to come.
  • 1872 Award – Bill Wade
    Bill was one of three retirees that took the podium at the National Press Club in 2003 to protest Administration policies that were harmful to parks – namely, snowmobile use in Yellowstone.  That event was the genesis of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees.  Since its inception, Bill has been the face of the Coalition and been unrelenting in his efforts to make the organization grow and be successful.  He took a small, unorganized group of retirees,  and made them into an organized group with by-laws, 501(c)(3) status, and a major force in the discussion of national parks and park programs.  For many years he served as chair and chief administrator, he secured grants, helped establish a website, secured a public relations firm, and watched the organization grow for a handful of retirees to 800 members. The Coalition would not exist today without the tireless efforts of Bill Wade.

2012

  • Hartzog Award – Congressman Norm Dicks of Washington
    Congressman Dicks served on the Interior appropriations subcommittee throughout his congressional service, including as its chair for four years.  In nearly four decades of service, Congressman Dicks was a stalwart supporter of the National Park Service. He led efforts for restoration of Everglades National Park and removal of the dams within Olympic National Park. His contributions are enduring and we are grateful for his vital support of the National Park System.
  • 1872 Award  – Jerry Rogers
    Jerry received the award for his tireless advocacy for the cultural resources contained within the National Park System and the programs outside the boundaries of our national park areas assigned by the Congress to the National Park Service. Jerry remains active in the preservation of our nation’s cultural resources.

2011

  • Hartzog Award – Vincent Santucci, NPS, Washington DC for his significant contributions to conservation and interpretation of fossil resources in the National Park Service.
  • 1872 Award – Michael Finley, Medford, OR for his consistent support and counsel to the Coalition.

2010

  • Hartzog Award – Shelton Johnson, Yosemite NP, CA for his significant contributions to interpretation and education in the National Park Service.
  • 1872 Award – Maria Abonnel, Cortland Manor, NY for her volunteer efforts to upgrade and maintain the Coalition website.

2009

  • Hartzog Award – Loran Fraser, Washington DC for his leadership of the National Parks Second Century Commission.
  • 1872 Award (posthumously awarded) Art Allen, Asheville, NC for his development and ongoing management of the Parklands Update listserve (forum).

2008

  •  Hartzog Award – Congressman Raul Grijalva (AZ) for his continuing support of conservation in the National Park System and leadership on the US House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
  • 1872 Award – Don Baur, Washington DC for his legal counsel and support of the Coalition during non‐ profit application efforts and guidance on issues of concern to the Coalition.

2007

  • Hartzog Award – Richard Sellars, Santa Fe, NM, for authoring several books of significance to Natural and Cultural Resource Management in the National Park Service.
  •  1872 Award – None

2006

  • Hartzog Award – None
  • 1872 Award – Kristen Brengel, The Wilderness Society, Washington DC for guidance and support on numerous issues of interest to the Coalition.

2005

  • Hartzog Award – Randy Roberson, West Yellowstone, MT for advancing the use of snowcoach transportation in Yellowstone NP.
  • 1872 Award – Jon Catton, Bozeman, MT for numerous contributions to the Coalition related to organization and issue support.