Nearly 40 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks employees have been recognized for recent achievements by agency director Joe Maurier.

Awards and recipients include:

Professionals of the Year

• Scott Thompson, wildlife biologist in Glasgow, Fish & Wildlife Division, for leading the recent International Sage Grouse Translocation project with Alberta, Canada.
• Chas Van Genderen, administrator in Helena, Parks Division, for innovations and improvements to Montana State Parks, including a campground reservation system, a National Park partnership, and a marketing campaign. Van Genderen was also a Governor's Award recipient.
• Hank Worsech, license bureau chief in Helena, Finance & Directors' Office, for outstanding commitment to FWP constituents and helping colleagues and the public understand complex licensing laws and processes.

Special Achievement Awards

• Allison Begley, aquatic invasive species coordinator, Helena; Lee Burroughs, warden, Billings; Ken Frazer, fisheries manager, Billings; Dave Fuller, fisheries technician, Fort Peck; Bob Gibson, information officer, Billings; Gary Hammond, regional supervisor, Billings; Justin Hawkaluk, warden, Harlowton; Mike Herman, warden captain, Glasgow; John Hunziker, fisheries technician, Fort Peck; Matt Ladd, warden, Billings; Ray Mule, wildlife manager, Billings; Brad Olszewski, conservation technician, Billings: Earl Radonski, fisheries technician, Billings; Mike Ruggles, fisheries biologist, Billings; Trevor Selch, pollution control biologist, Helena; Nick Taylor, warden, Billings; Courtney Tyree, warden, Laurel, Jay Watson, fish and wildlife technician, Billings—all of the Fish & Wildlife Division, for their work on Exxon-Mobil Silvertip Pipeline rupture damage assessment and ongoing Yellowstone River clean up. The team was also a Governor's Award recipient.
• Lennie Buhmann, criminal investigator, Miles City; Todd Enders, warden, Baker; Ryan Karren, warden, Miles City; Mike Krings warden, Miles City; and Rodd Tryan, warden, Glasgow—all of Fish & Wildlife Division—for interstate work to solve poaching crimes that resulted in the seizure of 50 illegal wildlife mounts and more than $100,000 in restitution fines.
• Lorrie Harris, license drawing crew coordinator, Helena; Marsha Ogle, administrative support, Canyon Creek; Kathy Reilly, systems analyst, Clancy; Neal Whitney, license business analyst, Helena; Tina Wilson, system analyst, Helena; and John Brown, computer software engineer, Santa Fe, N.M—all of the Finance & Directors' Office, for developing and carrying out a new system that provided earlier notification of Montana's deer and elk special permit drawing results.
• Ken Soderberg, interpretive services chief in Helena, Parks Division, for leading Montana State Parks' first-ever AmeriCorps program.

Innovative Thinker Awards

• Jay Armstrong, computer software engineer in Helena, Finance & Directors' Office, for integrating a computer code with analysis software to rapidly probe wildlife population estimates and other statistics, an innovation that saves hundreds of hours of computer-coding time.
• Vivaca Crowser, information officer in Missoula, Fish & Wildlife Division, for leading in an effort to develop a clear and consistent message on the complex issue of predator-prey management, and for leading FWP's first social media committee.
• Loren Flynn, park manager, Parks Division in Missoula, for working with the community to help secure Missoula County Open Space Funds and for working in partnership with the Travelers’ Rest Preservation & Heritage, to acquire of land and a visitor center at Travelers' Rest State Park.

Governor's Award

• Beth Shumate, trails program specialist, Helena; and Walt Timmerman, recreation section chief, formerly of Helena—each of the Parks Division, for helping to lead a multi-agency effort to develop a web-based grants and loan management system for easy public access to funding opportunities offered by four different state agencies. Timmerman, a long time FWP employee, passed away in July.

"The people who work at FWP are among the most talented and dedicated in state government," FWP Director Maurier said. "All Montanans can be especially proud of the achievements of this year’s award winners."