These awards are selected from nominees made by the NWCOA membership. If you would like to nominate someone for one of the following awards, please click here for a nomination form.

The Educator of the Year award recognizes an individual or organization for their outstanding wildlife damage education or research. The recipient of this award should have applied and demonstrated wildlife damage management methods to the betterment or effectiveness of the industry; or conducted research to support industry positions, standards, policies, practices or techniques.

• 2010 Dr. Anthony DeNicola
• 2011 University of Lincoln at Nebraska, Dr. Scott Hyngstrom and Stephen Vantassel
• 2012 Charles Holt
• 2013 Blue Ridge Wildlife Management
• 2016 Stephen Vantassel
• 2017 Chris O’Banion
• 2018 Carla Wagner
• 2019 Chris Hunnicutt
• 2020 Shlomo Simenowitz
• 2021 Keith Markun
• 2022 Brent Scott
• 2023 Kevin Cornwell
• 2024 Keith Markun
• 2025 Jon Cischke

The Professional of the Year award recognizes an individual for their overall outstanding efforts and achievements on behalf of the industry; or the most significant contribution to the cause of the wildlife damage industry; or the most significant contribution toward the solution of a major wildlife damage problem during the calendar year. This effort can be in any field of wildlife damage management.

• 2010 Mark Hutchison
• 2011 Ron Scheller
• 2012 Donald LaFountain
• 2013 Kevin Cornwell
• 2014 Gregg Shumaker
• 2015 Michael Tucker
• 2016 Dixon Herman
• 2017 Ryan Hall
• 2019 Jason and Amanda Alexander
• 2020 Chris Hunnicutt
• 2021 Jon Cischke
• 2022 Jay Wilkins
• 2023 Drew Cowley
• 2024 Timothy Leatherman
• 2025 Butch Hogarth

The Volunteer of the Year award is presented to an individual for their overall outstanding efforts and achievements on behalf of the NWCOA by providing significant volunteer contributions to NWCOA through mentoring, public participation, public education, assistance, industry training or guidance to the industry.

• 2010 Charles Parker
• 2011 Jason Reger
• 2012 Mike Tucker
• 2013 Justin Stevenson
• 2014 Victoria Rawe
• 2015 Charles Holt
• 2016 Claude Oleyar
• 2017 Jesse Fraser
• 2018 Keith Markun and Chris Sims
• 2019 Chris and Sara O'Banion
• 2020 Jim Goins
• 2021 Gerrod Walker
• 2022 Jim Horton
• 2023 Andrew Stadnik
• 2024 Carmela Gatto and Dorit Beard
• 2025 Chris Lunn and Jesse Fraser

The Vendor/Innovator of the Year award is presented to an individual or company that has displayed an unwavering commitment to the wildlife control industry through service, integrity, innovation, or other business practices that have enhanced or improved the industry’s ability to serve the public.