Awards Committee

The purpose of the Awards Committee is to recognize individuals, agencies, organizations, or institutions for their excellent, outstanding, or unique accomplishments in recreation, parks, leisure services, conservation of the environment, and the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association.

Awards Committee Co-Chair
Sam Werle
Duluth Parks and Recreation
swerle@duluthmn.gov

Awards Committee Co-Chair
JJ Williams
Washington County
jj.williams@co.washington.mn.us

Congratulations to professional award recipients for 2023:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Rick Birno, Golden Valley

NELSON - NILES AWARD
Joey Schugel, New Ulm

HORIZON AWARD
Chelsea Swenhaugen, Inver Grove Heights

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD
Peter Dugan, Eagan

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Aimee Peterson, Maple Grove

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD
City of Richfield

LIFETIME ACHEIVEMENT AWARD
Bob and Joan Kojetin

Congratulations to professional award recipients for 2022:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Paul Peanasky, Faribault

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Sonya Rippe, Plymouth

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD
Plymouth Parks and Recreation

JACK NILES AWARD
Reed Smidt, Woodbury

DOROTHEA NELSON AWARD
Annie Olson, Minneapolis

HORIZON AWARD
Meredith Lawrence, Mendota Heights

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD
Thomas P. Anderson, Corcoran

Professional Award Recipients 2021:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Tom Schmitz, New Ulm

JACK NILES AWARD
Alex McKinney, Washington County

DOROTHEA NELSON AWARD
Marcia Larson and Becky Sola

HORIZON AWARD
Jenna Smith, Bloomington

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD
Thomas P. Anderson, Corcoran

Professional Awards

MRPA celebrates the professional awards recipients and their outstanding accomplishments during the professional awards ceremony.

Congratulations to the MRPA professional award recipients for 2024:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD

Tracy Petersen, Edina

NELSON - NILES AWARD

Carrie Anderson, Roseville

Nikki Friederich, St. Louis Park

HORIZON AWARD

Jessica Christensen Buck, Corcoran

Kevin O'Brien, Faribault

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD

Troy Fritz, St. Cloud

LEADERSHIP AWARD

Jason T. West, St. Louis Park

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD

City of Duluth

LEGISLATIVE AWARD

Representative Leon Lillie

Annual General Meeting & Awards Luncheon
Friday, January 10, 2025
New Brighton Community Center
400 10th Street NW
New Brighton, MN 55112

Click here for the registration form

Click here to register and pay online

Nomination Procedure:

Nominating an individual for and MRPA Professional Award, Board and Commission and Special Award is an easy process. Call for nominations will be open in early-October 2025 with a deadline of three weeks. The awards committee will finalize the recipient list by early-November.

MRPA professional members who are nominated will receive a professional profile form to complete that will provide more information about their professional experience and MRPA involvement. The MRPA Professional Award recipients are honored during the Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon.

Click here to learn more about the professional award categories.

Professional Award Recipients 2020:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Sandy Breuer, Washington County

JACK NILES AWARD
Nate Rosa, St. Louis Park

DOROTHEA NELSON AWARD
Nicole Gorman, Edina

HORIZON AWARD
Chris Fleck, Eagan
JJ Williams, Washington County  

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD
St. Louis Park Parks and Recreation  

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Dale McCamish, Rochester 

Awards of Excellence

The Awards of Excellence are presented by Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. 

MRPA congratulates the MRPA Awards of Excellence for projects completed in 2023 in the following categories:

Marketing & Communications

• City of Apple Valley - Referendum Marketing and Communication Plan

Park and Facility

• City of Crystal - Bassett Creek Park
• City of Little Canada - Pioneer Park Inclusive Park Enhancements
• City of Mankato - Thomas Park Renovation
• City of Maple Grove - Gleason Fields
• City of New Brighton - Sunny Square Park Renovation
• City of Winona - Bluffside Park Trail Construction

Programming and Events

• City of Duluth - Youth on Trails
• City of St. Louis Park - National Day of Racial Healing
• Three Rivers Park District - Three Rivers Park District Signature Events
• Washington County – Dia de los Muertos Celebracion

Sponsorships and Partnerships

• City of Inver Grove Heights - 5th Quarter Event and Partnership with SPARC
• City of New Brighton - Community Lunches
• City of St. Louis Park - Trail of Small Wonders Grand Opening Festival
• City of Hutchinson - Community Bike Fleet

Volunteer Initiatives

• Three Rivers Park District - Remote Wildlife Camera Survey - Volunteer Citizen Science Project
  
  

Nominations for projects and programs completed in 2024 will be open in early-February, 2025.

A major goal of the Awards of Excellence program is to increase public awareness and appreciation of the excellent parks, trails, and recreation services available in Minnesota. 

The awards committee will score selected agencies and follow up with recipients in late spring. 

Public presentations of the awards are made before the agencies’ governing bodies throughout the summer season. These projects will also be highlighted in the fall issue of the MRPA member magazine. 

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2022 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2021 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2020 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2019 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2018 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2017 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2016 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2015 - Read More