“Heroes of the 50 States”

Next Nomination deadline: July 15, 2019

Terry Mutchler

2018 Inductee Terry Mutchler, Pennsylvania

Previous inductees

2017 Michael Giudicessi - Iowa

2016 Sam D. Kennedy - Tennessee

2015 Pete Weitzel — Florida

2014 John Paff — New Jersey

2013 Brian Sonntag — Washington

2012   Toby Nixon — Washington
2011   John R. Finnegan Sr. — Minnesota
2010   Robert J. Freeman — New York
2009   Mitchell W. Pearlman — Connecticut
2008   Bill F. Chamberlin — Florida
2007   Frosty Landon — Virginia
2006   Byron M. Baer — New Jersey
2005   John Kuglin — Montana
2004   Herb Strentz — Iowa
2003   Michael Donoghue — Vermont
2003   Sue Hale — Oklahoma
2003   Robert Johnson — New Mexico

There are heroes among us. They are heroes who may or may not be well known within their respective states and communities, but whose labors have gone largely unrecognized elsewhere. They are heroes whose efforts have kept state and local government records and meetings open and accessible to their fellow citizens.

Heroes of the 50 States: The State Open Government Hall of Fame recognizes long-term contributions of individuals to open government in their respective states. Specifically, induction into the Hall recognizes the “long and steady effort to preserve and protect the free flow of information about state and local government that is vital to the public in a democracy.”

Formal induction occurs at the annual Freedom of Information Summit.

Eligibility

The State Open Government Hall of Fame is open to anyone who has made a substantial, sustained and lasting contribution to open government or freedom of information within one particular state. Even if the nominee has been active in national efforts or national organizations, the judges will only consider accomplishments at the state level.

Nominees may come from government, the media, the non-profit sector, the legal profession, or any other area of endeavor that involves citizen access to government records, meetings and procedures.

Nominees may be living or deceased; active or retired.

Nominations

Deadline for nominations for the 2018 Hall of Fame is July 15, 2019.

All nominations should include the following:

Cover letter identifying the nominee and the person or group making the nomination.
Adequate support material to demonstrate the worthiness of the nominee.

Please send all nominations material to:

"Heroes of the 50 States"
c/o National Freedom of Information Coalition - NFOIC
3208 Weimer Hall
PO Box 118400
University of Florida - College of Journalism and Communications
Gainesville, FL 32611-8400
Phone: 352.294.7082
nfoic@nfoic.org

Judging

All nominations are evaluated by a Screening/Selector Committee that includes a representative of SPJ, a representative of NFOIC and at least one additional at-large Selector. To ensure the integrity of the process, Screeners/Selectors only become known to each other in the latter stages of judging in any given year.