Dave Ford
Originally known as the Kuehnast Award, the Dave Ford Water Resources Award was created in 2003, renamed for esteemed DNR hydrologist Dave Ford, who died prematurely from cancer in January 2003. Dave Ford was highly regarded by his water resources colleagues, who sought to honor him with an award to be presented to others in the field who also have made an indelible impact on Minnesota’s environmental landscape. Dave had an excellent theoretical understanding of various computer simulation models, along with the practical knowledge to effectively use those models to address a variety of water resource management issues. But, more importantly, he was a teacher, a mentor, a collaborator, and a friend.
Past Recipients of the Dave Ford Water Resources Award
| Year | Recipient | Year | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Heinz G. Stefan | 2015 | Bruce Wilson (Respec) |
| 2005 | Marcel Jouseau | 2016 | Cliff Aichinger |
| 2006 | Ron Harnack | 2017 | Dan R. Engstrom, Kent Johnson |
| 2007 | Patrick Brezonik | 2018 | Suzanne Jiwani |
| 2008 | Steve Heiskary | 2019 | Al Kean, Bruce Montgomery |
| 2009 | James L. Anderson | 2020 | Deb Swackhamer |
| 2010 | Nels Nelson | 2021 | Mike Trojan |
| 2011 | Timothy Scherkenbach | 2022 | Rebecca Flood, Andrea Hendrickson |
| 2012 | Barbara Liukkonen | 2023 | Mark Doneux, John Nieber |
| 2013 | John Gulliver | 2024 | Joe A. Magner, Randy Neprash |
| 2014 | Roland Sigurdson |
Past Award recipients of Earl Kuehnast Award
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 1986 | Earl Kuehnast |
| 1987 | Ed Bowers |
| 1991 | Peter Fischer |
| 1992 | Howard Midje |
| 1999 | Ron Nargang |
About the Award
Eligibility
This award honors a person for significant long-term achievement or public service in Water Resource management who exhibits the collaborative leadership style of Dave Ford. While the award is generally for lifetime achievement, it (or some other recognition) can be given to an individual for a particularly important one-time contribution to Minnesota Water Resources. The award is for professionals and other related disciplines working in water resources. Nominees can be from any discipline and can represent work such as research, administration, engineering, etc. Politicians and current members of the Planning Committee are excluded.
Selection Criteria
To be considered for the annual Award for Outstanding Achievement in Water Resources, an individual should have an extended history of contributions related but not limited to:
- Accomplishments contributing to the betterment of the waters of Minnesota.
- Contributions to the success of the people working with and around the nominee through collaboration, inclusive leadership, and mentoring.
- Unpaid public service to benefit Minnesota’s waters.
- Advancement of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in workplaces and communities.