Winston - Salem, NC, March 27, 2003 – The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) joined with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director, Steve Williams, to present awards to two of the National Wildlife Refuge System¹s finest employees, Michael Rearden, Manager of the Yukon Delta NWR, AK, and Ann Blakley, Administrative Officer at the National Elk Refuge, WY.

Sponsored by the NWRA and the NFWF, these awards - the Paul Kroegel Refuge Manager of the Year and Refuge System Employee of the Year - recognize the exceptional people who dedicate their time and energies to furthering the goals and mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Mike Rearden, the 2003 Refuge Manager of the Year, has served since 1995 as Manager of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest and most complex refuges within the Refuge System. Rearden uses his wildlife management skills and cross-cultural knowledge of Alaskan Native people to tackle the complex problems surrounding local resource management. By combining innovative solutions with effective public outreach programs, Mike Rearden has involved village residents in developing a workable policy of recovery for certain waterfowl species while ensuring continued subsistence harvest.

As Administrative Officer at National Elk Refuge, 2003 Employee of the Year Ann Blakley provides critical support services to the team of refuge staff enabling them to more effectively accomplish crucial refuge mission priorities. Blakley demonstrates extensive background knowledge in a wide range of programmatic areas as well as invaluable expertise in administrative and budget matters. In 1998 the Jackson Hole Business and Professional Women¹s Club named her "Woman of the Year."

The National Refuge System Awards were presented at the 68th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Winston-Salem, NC on March 26, 2003. Established in 1975, the National Wildlife Refuge Association provides a national voice for refuge staff and volunteers and for the wildlife that depend on refuges for their survival. For more information on the National Wildlife Refuge System awards, visit the Events link at www.refugenet.org.