2024
Maria Whitehead, Vice President and Director of Lands, Southeast, Open Space Institute, North Carolina
Peter Murphy, President and CEO, Illinois Association of Park Districts, Illinois
Sara Parker Pauley, Director (retired), Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri
2023
No medals were awarded
2022
William Mitchell, Executive Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, Pennsylvania
2021
Arnold Randall, General Superintendent, Forest Preserves District of Cook County, Illinois
Elizabeth Kessler, Executive Director, McHenry County Conservation District, Illinois
John J. Reynolds, Director, West Region, National Park Service (Retired)
2020
Daniel L. Dustin, PhD, Utah
2019
Dr. Phillip Rea, Professor Emeritus, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, North Carolina State University, North Carolina
Renée E. Bahl, Associate Vice Chancellor, University of California, Santa Barbara, California
Richard J. Dolesh, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, National Recreation and Park Association, Maryland
2018
Mr. William “Bill” Scalzo, Director, Maricopa County Parks & Recreation Department, Arizona
Robert Emmett Doyle, General Manager, East Bay Regional Park District, California
2017
Anita Gorman, Park & Recreation Advocate, Kansas City, Missouri
Lewis Ledford, Director; Executive Director, North Carolina State Parks; National Assoc. of State Parks Directors, North Carolina
Peter Sortino , Park Advocate, Member, Board of Directors and Executive , Forest Park Forever, St. Louis, Missouri
2016
John Sutter, Board Member, East Bay Regional Park District, California
Richard L. Ash, Jr., Director, St. Charles Park District, Missouri
2015
John C. Potts , Superintendent of Parks and Planning, Peoria Park District, and Executive Director, Champaign County Forest Preserve District, Illinois
Lamar Alexander, Govonor, State of Tennessee, Tennessee
Mary Kathleen “Kathy” Perales, Research Biologist, Engineer Research and Development Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi
2014
Eric W. O’Brien, Massachusetts
James A. Peterson, Professor, Indiana University, Indiana
Katie Porter, Park Advocate & Chair; Vice Chair; Chair, Morris County Park Commission; Governor's Council on New Jersey Outdoors; NRPA Board of Directors
2013
Barry Tindall, Director Public Policy , National Recreation and Park Association, Virginia
Beverly D. (Brandes) Chrisman, Park Advocate, Chair; President, Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission; NRPA, South Carolina
John H. Davis, Executive Director, National Recreation and Park Association, Virginia
2012
Joe Crookham, Park Advocate, President; Board of Directors; Member, Mahaska County Recreation Foundation; National Park Foundation; Little League Baseball Foundation, Iowa
Pete Dangermond, Director; President, California State Parks; Save-the-Redwoods League, California
Roger K. Brown, Director; First Director, Greensboro Park & Rec, NC; North Clackamas Parks & Rec Dist., Oregon
2011
Dr. Roderick Frazier Nash, Professor, Historian, Author, University of California Santa Barbara, California
James Reed Ellis, Park Advocate, First Citizen Award; recipient, National Jefferson Award, Seattle-King County, Washington State
John J. Nau III, Park Advocate; Chair, Advisory Council; Chair, Historic Preservation & Preserve America Initiative; Civil War Trust, TX
2010
Charles E. Hartsoe, Professor Emeritus, Virginia Commonwealth University, author, advocate, Virginia
Harry (Hal) G. Haskell, Jr, Former Member of Congress, NRPA Life Trustee, Delaware
Martin J. Rosen, Founding Member, former Chairman & President, The Trust for Public Land, California
2009
Anne M. Burke, Justice, Illinois Supreme Court
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Executive Vice President, Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation
George L. Bristol, President, Texas Coalition for Conservation
Huey Johnson, President, Resource Renewal Institute
2008
Elizabeth (Liz) Cushman Titus Putnam, Founding President, Student Conservation Association, New Hampshire
Henry L. Diamond, Environmental Lawyer, Washington, DC
Vern J. Hartenburg, Executive Director, Cleveland Metroparks, , Ohio
2007
Elizabeth (Betsy) Barlow Rogers , President, Central Park Conservancy, New York City
Fran P. Mainella, Director, National Park Service, Washington, DC
Stewart L. Udall, Secretary of Interior, Washington, DC
2006
L.W. "Bill" Lane, Jr., Retired Publisher, Sunset, Menlo Park, , California
Tony A. Mobley, Dean Emeritus, Indiana University, Bloomington, , Indiana
2005
Clifton E. French, Superintendent, Hennepin County Park Preserve District
Lady Bird Johnson, Conservationist, Austin, , Texas
Patrick F. Noonan, Chair, Conservation Fund, Washington, DC
2004
Brian O'Neill, Superintendent, Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Laurance S. Rockefeller, Conservationist and Philanthropist, Pocantico,, New York
Victor Ashe, Mayor , Knoxville,, Tennesse
2003
Pat O'Brien, General Manager, East Bay Regional Park District,, California
Robert "Bob" G. Stanton, Director, National Park Service, Washington, DC
Terese "Terry" Tarlton Hershey, Conservationist, Houston,, Texas
2002
Bernadette Castro, Commissioner, NY State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
Eugene Young, Superintendent, Recreation & Park Commission for East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, Los Angeles
R. Dean Tice, Executive Director, National Recreation & Park Association, Ashburn, , Virginia
2001
Andrea Moore, State Representative, Illinois
Anne Springs Close, Fort Mill,, South Carolina
Dr. Joe Bannon, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2000
Bruce Babbitt, Secretary, Department of Interior, Washington, DC
Carol M. Severin, Chair, East Bay Regional Park District,, California
Chris Jarvi, Director, City of Anaheim,, California
1999
John L. Crompton, Distinguished Professor, Texas A&M University, College Station,, Texas
Joseph Caverly, Director, Westchester County Parks Commission,, New York
1998
Fran P. Mainella, Director, National Park Service, Washington, DC
Ken Winslade , Director, Department of Parks & Recreation, New Westminster, BC, Canada
1997
Ernest William Nance, Director, Oaklawn Park District,, Illinois
Ira J. Hutchison, Assistant Director, National Park Service, Washington, DC
1995
Charles R. Jordan, Director, Portland,, Oregon
Edward J. Koenemann, Director, Vermont State Parks
1994
Cordie O. Hudkins, Jr., Director, West Virginia State Parks
James J. Truncer, Director, Monmouth County Park System,, New Jersey
John E. Cook, Regional Director, National Park Service, Santa Fe,, New Mexico
1993
Andrew Sansom, Director, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
James "Jim" Andrew Colley, Director, Phoenix Parks, Recreation & Library Department,, Arizona
James M. Ridenour, Director, National Park Service, Washington, DC
William "Bill" J. Briggle, Superintendent, Mt. Ranier National Park
1992
Boyd Evison, Regional Director, National Park Service
Ralph S. Cryder, Director, Los Angeles County Parks,, California
Ray H. Murray, National Park Service, Sacramento,, California
1991
Denis P. Galvin, Deputy Director, National Park Service, Washington, DC
Ford W. Hughes, Director, St. James Foundation
Ronald H. Dodd, Director, Chicago Park District,, Illinois
1990
David Talbot, Director, Oregon State Parks
Gary Everhardt , Director, National Park Service, Washington, DC
Richard "Dick" Trudeau, Director, East Bay Regional Park District,, California
William J. Hopkins, Director, Delaware State Parks
1989
H.C. "Chuck" Johnson, Director, DuPage County Forest Preserve,, Illinois
Orin Lehman, Commissioner, NY State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
Philip O. Stewart, Assistant Director, Land Acquisition, National Park Service
Willis "Will" P. Kriz, National Park Service
1988
William C. "Bill" Walters , Director, Indiana State Parks
William Penn Mott, Jr., Director, National Park Service
William R. "Bill" Bird, Director, Metropolitan Dade County Parks & Recreation Department,, Florida
1987
Marc Sagan, Chief, Harpers Ferry Center, National Park Service
Robert F. Toalson, Director, Champaign (IL) Park District
William C. “Bill” Forrey, Director, Pennsylvania State Parks
1983
Charles H. Odegaard , Director, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
David O. Laidlaw, Director, Huron-Clinton Metroparks,, Ohio
Manus “Jack” Fish, Jr., Director, National Capital Region, National Park Service
1982
Graham A. Skea, Director, Parks, Recreation & Conservation, Orange County,, New York
John A. Townsley, Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park,, Wyoming
William Penn Mott, Jr., Director, National Park Service
1981
Pugsley Medal -Frank C. Vaydik, Director, Kansas City Parks, Recreation and Conservation, Missouri
1979
Daniel ]ames "Jim" Tobin, Jr. , Deputy Director, National Park Service
Maxwell D. Ramsey, Director, Cultural Resources & Recreation, Tennessee Valley Authority
Nash Castro, Executive Director, Palisades Interstate Park Commisiion, New York, New York
1978
No medals awarded.
1977
No medals awarded.
1976
No medals awarded.
1975
No medals awarded.
1974
Lawrence Stuart, Director, Maine State Parks, Maine
Rhodell E. Owens, Director, Peoria (IL) Park District
Russell E. Dickenson, Director, National Park Service
1973
Elbert Cox, Regional Director, National Park Service, Richmond, Virgina
Horace G. Caldwell, Executive Director, Jekyll Island Authority,, Georgia
William A. "Bill" Parr, Superintendent, Maryland State Parks
1972
Howard Gregg, General Manager, Milwaukee County (WI) Parks & Recreation Department
Nathaniel P. "Nate" Reed, Assistant Secretary, Department of the Interior
William Penn Mott, Jr., Director, National Park Service
1971
Earl Edison Gaylor, General Manager, Oglebay Park, Wheeling,, West Virginia
Joseph W. Souza, Jr., Director, Hawaii State Parks
Melvin M. Payne, Chair, National Geographic Society
1970
Ben H. Bolen, Commissioner, Virginia Division of Parks
Harthon "Spud" L. Bill, Deputy Directo, National Park Service
Robert W. Ruhe, Superintenden, Board of Park Commission, Minneapolis,, Minnesota
1969
Ignatius "Nash" Castro, Regional Director, National Capital Parks, Washington, DC
Joseph J Truncer, Director, Department of Conservation and Economics, Division of Parks, Trenton, New Jersey
Pugsley Medal -Lawrence "Larry" N. Stevens, Associate Director, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, Washington, DC
1968
Lemuel “Lon” A. Garrison, Director, Region V, National Park Service, Philadelphia, , Pennsylvania
Theodore Kazimiroff, Historian, Bronx Borough, Bronx, New York
William M. "Mark" Gosdin, Director, Department of Park Services, TX Parks & Wildlife Dept
1967
Earl Philip Hanson, Chief, California Division of Beaches & Parks
George B. Hartzog Jr., Director, National Park Service
John "Jack" P. Hewitt, Director, Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission
1966
James H. Evans, Chair, National Park & Recreation Association
Kermit "Mac" McKeever, Chief, Division of Parks and Recreation, Charleston,, West Virginia
Norman S Johnson, Superintendent, Parks, Los Angeles, California
1965
Elbert Cox, Regional Director, National Park Service
Pugsley Medal -Frank C. Vaydik, Director, Kansas City Parks, Recreation and Conservation, Missouri
Russell B. Tobey, Director, Division of Parks, Concord, , New Hampshire
1964
Local Level Pugsley Medal -Daniel L Flaherty, General Superintendent, Chicago Park District, Chicago, Illinois
National Level Pugsley Medal -Harold P Fabian, Attorney, Jackson Hole Preserve, Salt LAke City, Utah
State Level Pugsley Medal -U.W. Hella, Director, Division of State Parks, Department of Conservation, St. PAul, Minnesota
1963
National Level Pugsley Medal -Thomas S. Jett, Regional Director, National Capital Parks, Wahington DC
National Pugsley Medal -Conrad L. Wirth, Director, Division of State Park Service, Washington DC
State/Regional Level Pugsley Medal -Edward J Meeman, Conservation Editor
1962
Local Level Pugsley Medal -Ejo J. Urbanovsky, Texas Technological College, Department of Park Management, Lubbock, Texas
National Level Pugsley Medal -Freeman Tilden, Author, Warner, New Hampshire
State Level Pugsley Medal -Sidney S. Kennedy, Division Cooperative Services, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, NPS, Washington DC
1961
Local Level Pugsley Medal- Frank G McInnis, Director, Detroit Zoological Park, Royal Oak, Michigan
State Level Pugsley Medal -Allen T Edmunds
State Level Pugsley Medal -Charles A De Turk, Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, Sacramento, California
1960
Bronze Medal -Edmund B. Rogers, Superintendent, Rocky Mountain National Park and Yellowstone National Park, Denver, Colorado
Local Level Pugsley Medal -Louis B. Houston, Director, Dallas Parks and Recreation Department, Texas
State/Regional Pugsley Medal -Harold W. Lathrop, Director , Colorado State Parks and Recreation, Denver, Colorado
1959
Local Level Pugsley Medal -Homer W. Fish, Superintendent, Parks, Wheeling, West Virginia
National Level Pugsley Medal -Alfred A. Knopf, Publisher, Federal Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings and Monuments,, New York, New York
State/Regional Level Pugsley Medal -George L Collins, Regional Chief, Recreation Resource Planning, National Park Service, San Anselmo, California
1958
Bronze Medal -Walter L. Wirth, Salem Parks and Recreation Department., Oregon
National Level Pugsley Medal- Eivind T. Scoyen, Associate Director, NPS, Washington DC
State/Regional Pugsley Medal -Thomas W. Morse, Superintendent, State Parks, Raleigh, North Carolina
1957
Local level Pugsley Medal -Charles E. Doell, Superintendent, Board of Park Commissioners, Minneapolis, Minnesota
National level Pugsley Medal -Ben H. Thompson, Division of Recreation Resource Planning, NPS, Glen Echo, Maryland
State Pugsley Medal -Kenneth R. Cougill, Division of State Parks, Anderson, Indiana
1956
Bronze Medal- Gilbert H. Grosvenor, Chairman, National Geographic Society, Washington DC
Gold Medal- Harold S. Wagner, Metropolitan Park System, Akron, Ohio
Silver Medal- James F. Evans, Director, New York State Park System, Albany, New York
1955
Bronze Medal- Thomas C.Vint, Chief Design and Construction, National Park Service, Washington DC
Gold Medal- Loring McMellan, Vice-President, Statten Island Hisotrical Society, New York
Silver Medal- Ruth E. Peeler, Vice Chair, State Parks and Research Commission, Des Moines, Washington DC
1954
Bronze Medal- Harold C Bryant, Assistant Director, National Park Service, Ovinda, California
Gold Medal- Adrian D. Barnes, Dade County Park Department, Miami, Florida
Silver Medal- Russel Reid, Superintendent, State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismark, North Dakota
1953
Bronze Medal- Olaus J Murie, President, Wilderness Society, Moose, Wyoming
Gold Medal - Fredrick L. Olmsted Jr., Palo Alto, California
Silver Medal- Edward J Burns, Washington DC
1952
Bronze Medal- Jerome C Dretzka, Milwaukee County Commission, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Gold Medal - Harlean James, Executive Secretary, American Planning and Civic Association and the National Conference On State Parks, Washington, D.C.
Silver Medal- Ronald F. Lee, Assistant Director, Secretary, National Park Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington DC
1951
Bronze Medal- Frank D. Quinn, Chairman, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Austin, Texas
Gold Medal- Arthur E. Demaray, Director, National Park Service
Silver Medal- Victor W. Flickinger, Chief, Division of Parks, Department of Natural Resources, Columbus, Ohio
1950
Bronze Medal- William N G Haynes, Stonington, Connecticut
Gold Medal -Newton B. Drury, Director, National Park Service
Silver Medal- Frank A. Kittredge, Chief Engineer, National Park Service, Washington DC
1949
Bronze Medal- Jay Downer, Chief Engineer, Westchester County, New York, New York
Gold Medal- Waldo G. Leland, National Park Service Advisory Board
Silver Medal-Hillory A Tolson, Assistant Director, National Park Service
1948
Bronze Medal- Ellwood B. Chapman, President, Pennsylvania Parks Assn., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Gold Medal- Percival P. Baxter, Portland, Maine
Silver Medal- Minor R. Tillotson, Regional Director , National Park Service, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1947
Bronze Medal- Samuel H. Boardman, Oregon State Highway Commission, Salem, Oregon
Gold Medal - Conrad L. Wirth, National Parks Service
Silver Medal- Thomas J.Allen, Regional Director, National Park Service, Richmond, Virginia
1946
Medal awards discontinued during World War II
1945
Medal awards discontinued during World War II
1944
Medal awards discontinued during World War II
1943
Medal awards discontinued during World War II
1942
Bronze Medal- Harlean James, Executive Secretary, American Planning and Civic Association
Gold Medal- Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior
Silver Medal- Arthur E. Demaray, Assistant Director, National Park Service
1941
No medals were awarded
1940
Bronze Medal- William A. Stinchcomb, Director, Cleveland Metropolitan Park District
Gold Medal- Hermon C. Bumpus, President, Tufts University; Chair, NPS Advisory Board
Silver Medal- Newton B. Drury, Secretary, Save the Redwoods, League of California, California
1939
Bronze Medal- William P. Alexander, Buffalo, New York
Gold Medal- Robert Fechner, Director, Civilian Conservation Corps
Silver Medal- Charles C. Deam, Indiana State Parks
1938
Bronze Medal- Alvin E Reeves, Director, Division of Parks, Oklahama, Oklahama
Gold Medal- Arno B. Cammerer, Director, National Park Service
Silver Medal- Raymond H Torrey, Journalist and Secretary, American Scenic and Historic Preservation
1937
Bronze Medal- William H. Carr, Director, Trailside Museum at Bear Mountain
J. Horace McFarland, President, American Civic Association, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Silver Medal- Charles P. Wilber, State Forester and Director, Department of Conservation and Development, New Jersey
1936
Bronze Medal- George M Wright, Founder and Chief, Wildlife Division of National Park Sevice
Gold Medal- Robert Moses, Commissioner, Parks for the City of New York, New York
Silver Medal- Roger W. Toll, Superintendent of Yellowstone Park
1935
Bronze Medal- Will O Doolittle, Superintendent of Parks, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Howard B. Bloomer, Chair, Michigan Conservation Department, Michigan
Silver Medal- John McLaren, Park Superintendent, San Fransisco, California
1934
Bronze Medal- Philip W Ayres, Chief Forester, Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests, New Hampshire
Silver Medal- William E Carson, Director, Virginia Department of Conservation, Riverside, Virginia
William A. Welch, General Manager and Chief Engineer, Palisades Interstate Park, New York and New Jersey
1933
Bronze Medal- David E Colp, Chair, Texas State Parks Board, Texas
Silver Medal- Tom Wallace, Editor of Louisville Times, Kentucky State Park Commission, Kentucky
William W. Niles, Chair, Taconic State Park Commission, New York
1932
Bronze Medal- Margo K. Frankel, Chair, Iowa Board of Conservation
Chauncey J. Hamlin, President, Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences
Silver Medal- Peter Norbeck, Senator, South Dakota
1931
Bronze Medal- Stella M Leviston, San Fransisco, California
Richard Leiber, Director, Indiana Department of Conservation
Silver Medal- Albert M Turner, Connecticut State Park and Forest Commission
1930
Bronze Medal- Charles G Sauers, General Superindent, Indiana Dept of Conservation, Division of Land and Waters, Cook County Forest Preserve, Illinois
Gold Medal- Horace M. Albright, Director, National Park Service
Silver Medal- Theodore Wirth, General Superindent, Park Commissioners of Minneapolis, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1929
Bronze Medal- Thomas W. Hardison, Morristown , Arkansas
Gold Medal- Mary Averell Harriman, Philanthropist
Silver Medal- Nathaniel Lord Britton, New York Botanical Garden, New York
1928
Bronze Medal- Beatrice Ward Nelson, Secretary, National Conference on State Parks, Charlottesville, Virginia
Gold Medal- Stephen Tyng Mather, Director and Founder, National Park Service
Silver Medal- Duncan McDuffie, Member, California State Parks Commission, San Francisco, California