“Heroes of the 50 States”

Next Nomination deadline: February 22, 2020

Link to nomination form: https://goo.gl/forms/QDH4QyWIn9YRROw52

2019 Hall of Fame

Inductees

2019 Brian Hunhoff (South Dakota)

Richard P. McKee (California)

Hyde Post (Georgia)

Laura Lee Prather (Texas)

2018 Terry Mutchler - Pennsylvania

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
  Sue Hale — Oklahoma
  Robert Johnson* — New Mexico

*deceased

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 2019 Hall of Fame is February 22, 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.

Use the online submission form to nominate your candidate.

https://goo.gl/forms/QDH4QyWIn9YRROw52

Or send printed 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. 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.