2009 Winners
The winners of the 2009 Honors and Awards were announced at the 2009 AZA Annual Conference in Portland in September. You'll find them listed below.
Edward H. Bean Award
The Edward H. Bean Award acclaims the most significant propagation or management programs that contribute to the reproductive success of one or more species or subspecies.
2009 Winners
- Top Honors
Audubon (ACRES)— Mississippi Sandhill Crane
SeaWorld San Diego — Common Bottlenose Dolphin
- Significant Achievement
Disney's Animal Kingdom — Key Largo Woodrat
Excellence in Diversity Award
Through its Excellence in Diversity Award, AZA recognizes significant achievement in work force and audience diversity by an AZA member institution. Applicants may submit an entry for any diversity program designed to increase diversity through education, training, community service, recruitment/retention, interpretative exhibition, public relations, and/or marketing.
2009 Winners
- Top Honors
Milwaukee Zoological Society and Milwaukee County Zoo — Programs for Disadvantaged Youth
Education Award
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognizes outstanding achievement in educational program design, judging programs on their ability to promote conservation knowledge, attitudes and behavior, show innovation, and measure success.
2009 Winners
- Top Honors
Chicago Zoological - Brookfield Zoo — Levels of Engagement
- Significant Achievement
Lincoln Park Zoo — Exploring Ape Behavior
Exhibit Award
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, through its Exhibit Award, recognizes excellence in the area of live animal display and exhibit design by an AZA Institution (US or International) or Related Facility member.
2009 Winners
- Top Honors
Minnesota Zoo — Russia's Grizzly Coast and Central Plaza
- Significant Achievements
Bronx Zoo — Madagascar
North Carolina Zoo — Watani Grasslands Reserve
International Conservation Award
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums names conservation as its highest priority, and recognizes exceptional efforts by AZA Institution, Related Facility, International Facility, or Conservation Partner members toward habitat preservation, species restoration, and support of biodiversity in the wild through the International Conservation Award.
2009 Winners
- Top Honors
Lincoln Park Zoo — Gombe Ecosystem Health Project
Excellence in Marketing Award
Through this new award, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognizes the valuable role that marketing plays in building and sustaining business and creating platforms to interact with our various audiences.
2009 Winners
- Under $175,000 Significant Achievement
Knoxville Zoo — Dam Construction
- Over $175,000 Top Honors
Minnesota Zoo — Russia's Grizzly Coast
Over $175,000 Significant Achievement
Monterey Bay Aquarium — Re-imagined Splash Zone
Vancouver Aquarium — If Frogs Go Extinct, You'll Notice
North American Conservation Award
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums names conservation as its highest priority, and recognizes exceptional efforts by AZA Institution, Related Facility or Conservation Partner members toward regional habitat preservation, species restoration, and support of biodiversity in the wild through its North American Conservation Award.
2009 Winners
- Significant Achievements
Detroit Zoo — Coordination of Great Lakes Piping Plover Salvage Captive Rearing
Knoxville Zoo — the Tennessee Bog Turtle Program
Awards conferred via Nomination
R. Marlin Perkins Award for Professional Excellence
Deadline: December 15 annually
In 1978, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums established its highest award for professional excellence, named for its first recipient, R. Marlin Perkins. Only one recipient can be honored in any given year, and since the award criteria are lofty, it is anticipated that the award will not be given every year.
Nominations are accepted year-round and are due no later than December 15th of the year preceding the year in which the Award is to be conferred.
The 2008 honoree is Jack Hanna, Director Emeritus at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Honorary Membership Award
Deadline: July 1 annually
AZA has created a special membership category to recognize both members and non-members who have made significant contributions to the profession. Candidates should not be working in the zoo or aquarium profession and are elected by the Board of Directors.
All nomination materials and letters of sponsorship must be received by the AZA by July 1 of each year in order to be reviewed.
- Nominating materials (in PDF)
- List of Honorary Membership recipients
Tim O'Sullivan Award for Professional Development
Deadline: April 30 annually
The Tim O'Sullivan Award for Professional Development recognizes significant long-term individual achievement and service to AZA members through the AZA Professional Development Program and the AZA Board of Regents.
- About the Tim O'Sullivan Award
Previous Winners
- 2007 Recipient: John Hargleroad, Operations Director, Oglebay Park
- 2005 Recipient: Earl Wells, Retired Director, Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (awarded posthumously)
- 2004 Recipient: Bruce Carr, PhD, AZA Director of Conservation Education
Wendy Fisher Award for Professional Excellence
Deadline: June 1 annually
Commercial Members who have demonstrated outstanding character, leadership, professional excellence and distinguished service to AZA and fellow Commercial Members. The award is named for its first recipient, Wendy Fisher.
- Wendy Fisher Award nomination form and guidelines
Previous Winner
- Joyce Basel, Adventure Boutique, Inc., received the award in 2007.