AFWA Honors Council Leadership with Four National Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 28, 2025

Contact:
The Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports
Lance Cherry, Communications and Marketing Manager
[email protected]

From left to right: Council Board Member Tony Wasley, Executive Director Chuck Sykes, and Board Members Taylor Schmitz and Bob Ziehmer, recognized for exemplary contributions to wildlife conservation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – It was a night to celebrate as the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (Council) Executive Director and three members of its Board of Directors were honored by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) for outstanding leadership and lifetime achievements in wildlife conservation.

Council Executive Director Chuck Sykes received the Seth Gordon Award, which recognizes the lifetime achievements of natural resource administrators who have worked steadfastly and effectively for the best use of North American natural resources and the public trust therein. Sykes serves as Executive Director for the Council and previously led the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Council Board Member Bob Ziehmer, Senior Director of Conservation for Bass Pro Shops, received AFWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing an individual from a non-governmental organization who has supported AFWA and advanced both its agenda and conservation outcomes within their own institution.

Council Board Member Tony Wasley, Executive Director of the Wildlife Management Institute, received the Stephen Kellert Award for outstanding service in advancing connections between people and the natural world in ways that are inclusive and reach diverse audiences.

Council Board Member Taylor Schmitz, Senior Vice President for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, received the Gary Taylor Award, honoring significant achievement in advancing public conservation policy and safeguarding the jurisdiction of state fish and wildlife agencies over the management of fish and wildlife resources.

“AFWA’s recognition of Chuck, Bob, Tony, and Taylor is a testament to the Council leadership’s commitment to practical, collaborative conservation,” said Mark Tisa, Ph.D., Chair of the Council’s Board. “Each honoree has strengthened the link between participation in hunting and the shooting sports and the wildlife conservation system that depends on it. We are proud of their service to the Council and to see their leadership celebrated.”

AFWA’s annual awards highlight the broad coalition of agency leaders, non-governmental and industry partners, and policy professionals who drive results for fish and wildlife conservation across North America. The Council’s honorees reflect a shared focus on science-based management, public engagement, and effective policy.

About the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports

The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports is a national nonprofit that works with state fish and wildlife agencies, industry, and conservation partners to recruit, retain, and reactivate participants in hunting and the shooting sports. By aligning data, best practices, and partnerships, the Council strengthens the funding and public support that sustain wildlife conservation and legal recreational shooting across the United States.

For more information about the Council, visit www.cahss.org.

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