IHEA-USA HOSTS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The annual 2019 IHEA-USA Business Conference was held in Orange Beach, Alabama. IHEA-USA praised the Department of Natural Resources of Alabama and their volunteers for being great hosts. There were over 150 registered attendees who traveled from all over the US, Canada, Mexico and Guam to be at the conference.

The conference consisted of engaging speakers, educational workshops, incredible local food all within the setting of Alabama’s spectacular Gulf Coast area. Attendees helped raise funds for IHEA-USA, exchanged new and developing techniques for delivering HunterEd and renewed stage agency relationships.

HunterEd Administrators and volunteers toured the new Foley Community Archery Park and took part in an assortment of interactive activities including a park tour, pellet rifle range shoots, 3D archery, a tree stand safety course and a hunting incident investigation demo.

The final evening featured IHEA-USA’s annual awards and closing ceremony including both silent and live auctions and an awards banquet. Following are the award recipients:

Executive Director's Award - Awarded by Executive Director

Presented to Paulette Lubke

For outstanding assistance to the Executive Director of the IHEA-USA

Dr. Edward Kozicky Award - Awarded by President

Presented to Mark Reiter

For outstanding assistance to the President of the IHEA-USA

Host State Award - Alabama

Presented to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Hunter Education Program Staff

For outstanding service to the IHEA-USA

IHEA-USA Service Award - Outgoing Board of Directors

Mark Reiter

For outstanding service as AFWA Representative of the IHEA-USA from 2016-2019

IHEA-USA Service Award - Outgoing Board of Directors

Presented to Melissa Neely

For outstanding service as President, Vice President, Secretary and Regional Representative of the IHEA-USA from 2012-2019

Gladney Davidson Award

Presented to Lee Brown

For highest of service to IHEA-USA

Professional of the Year

Presented to Roy Griffith

For longtime excellence & service to the IHEA-USA

Industry Partner Award

Presented to Summit Treestands Seat of the Pants Harness

For longtime excellence & service to the IHEA-USA

NGO/Agency Partner Award

Presented to National Wild Turkey Federation

For longtime excellence & service to the IHEA-USA

Special Recognition - Alabama NWTF

Presented by: IHEA-USA & Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division

For longtime excellence and service to the Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division and IHEA-USA.

Hunter Education Administrator of the Year - Melissa Neely (New York)

Presented by Mission Sponsor - Kalkomey

For performing above and beyond the "call of duty" in promoting hunter education, shooting sports and R3 efforts.

IHEA-USA thanks all who support HunterEd throughout each year, especially the nearly 55,000 volunteer instructors and over 650,000 HunterEd students in the US. Next year’s annual Business Conference will be hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Jupiter, Florida, May 19-21, 2020.