WASHINGTON--Samuel W. Speck, the director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, will be among seven individuals and one organization honored for their distinguished service and invaluable contributions to state government at the National Governors Association's (NGA) 2004 Annual Meeting in Seattle later this month.

"Sam Speck has contributed in countless ways to the quality and vitality of life in Ohio and the Great Lakes region as a farsighted public administrator, legislator, conservationist, and educator," said Ohio Gov. Bob Taft who nominated Speck.

Speck, one of three award winners in the state official category, has been dedicated to preserving the Buckeye State's natural resources for more than 30 years. Appointed in 1999 as director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Speck has championed the Clean Ohio Initiative, a $400 million bond to clean up and redevelop brownfield sites, protect green space, preserve farmland, improve water quality, and expand Ohio's recreational trails network.

Given his ability to bring conflicting interests together, Speck leads the Ohio Forestry Initiative, which promotes environmentally responsible forest management on public and privately owned woodlands. In addition, he is instrumental in leading an effort to protect undeveloped portions of the Lake Erie coastline as public parks and preserves. As a member of the Ohio House, Speck authored the landmark Strip Mine Reclamation Act, which transformed eastern Ohio's landscape, improved its economy, and served as a model for federal legislation.  As a state senator, he wrote legislation overhauling public utility regulation laws. Currently, he is leading the Council of Great Lakes Governors' Water Management Working Group that recently submitted a plan for creating a regimen for managing water withdrawals from the Great Lakes basin. 

The Awards for Distinguished Service to State Government will be presented during the meeting's opening plenary session on Sunday, July 18. Annually, NGA presents eight awards in three separate categories: state officials, private citizens, and distinguished service to the arts. Besides Ohio, this year's recipients hail from four other states and one U.S. territory: Guam, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia.

"In a myriad of different ways, each of these distinguished honorees has made selfless and invaluable contributions to state government and public service," said NGA Chairman Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. "On behalf of my fellow governors, I commend these extraordinary individuals for their commitment to improving their communities, their states, and, indeed, their country."

Established in 1976, the NGA Awards for Distinguished Service to State Government allow governors to bring national recognition to their states' most valuable civil servants and private citizens. The awards emphasize the commitment of state administrators and the important contributions private citizens make to state government. The awards program is administered by a selection committee comprised of three permanent representatives from the academic community, as well as a designee from both the NGA chair and vice chair.

For detailed descriptions of the other honorees, please visit www.NGA.org and click on the News Room page. The eight recipients of the 2004 NGA Awards for Distinguished Service to State Government are:

State Official Category
John M. Bennett, Virginia Secretary of Finance
Joseph F. Harkins, Acting Director of the Kansas Water Office
Samuel W. Speck, Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Private Citizen Category
Michael W. Cruz, M.D., Guam
Fred P. Keller, Michigan
Thomas H. Swain, Minnesota

Arts Category
The Children's Theatre Company, Minnesota (Artistic Production)
Judy Flores, Guam (Arts Support)

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