Awards Committee

The purpose of the Awards Committee is to recognize individuals, agencies, organizations, or institutions for their excellent, outstanding, or unique accomplishments in recreation, parks, leisure services, conservation of the environment, and the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association.

Awards Committee Co-Chair
Nicole Greenwell
Anoka County Parks
nicole.greenwell@anokacountymn.gov

Awards Committee Co-Chair
Chelsea Swenhaugen
City of Inver Grove Heights
cswenhaugen@ighmn.gov

Nomination Procedure:

Nominating an individual for and MRPA Professional Award, Board and Commission and Special Award is an easy process. Call for nominations are in the fall of 2026 with a deadline of three weeks. The awards committee will finalize the recipient list by early-November.

MRPA professional members who are nominated will receive a professional profile form to complete that will provide more information about their professional experience and MRPA involvement. The MRPA Professional Award recipients are honored during the Annual General Meeting and Awards Luncheon.

Click here to learn more about the professional award categories.

Congratulations to professional award recipients for 2022:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Paul Peanasky, Faribault

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Sonya Rippe, Plymouth

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD
Plymouth Parks and Recreation

JACK NILES AWARD
Reed Smidt, Woodbury

DOROTHEA NELSON AWARD
Annie Olson, Minneapolis

HORIZON AWARD
Meredith Lawrence, Mendota Heights

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD
Thomas P. Anderson, Corcoran

Professional Award Recipients 2021:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Tom Schmitz, New Ulm

JACK NILES AWARD
Alex McKinney, Washington County

DOROTHEA NELSON AWARD
Marcia Larson and Becky Sola

HORIZON AWARD
Jenna Smith, Bloomington

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD
Thomas P. Anderson, Corcoran

Professional Award Recipients 2020:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Sandy Breuer, Washington County

JACK NILES AWARD
Nate Rosa, St. Louis Park

DOROTHEA NELSON AWARD
Nicole Gorman, Edina

HORIZON AWARD
Chris Fleck, Eagan
JJ Williams, Washington County  

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD
St. Louis Park Parks and Recreation  

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Dale McCamish, Rochester  

Professional Awards

MRPA celebrates the professional awards recipients and their outstanding accomplishments during the professional awards ceremony. The Annual General Meeting & Awards Luncheon will be held in January 2027. 

Congratulations to the MRPA Professional Award Recipients for 2025:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Dan Schultz, Rosemount

NELSON - NILES AWARD
Jenna Smith, Victoria
JJ Williams, Washington County

HORIZON AWARD
Kelly Distad-Arvold, New Brighton
Nicole Greenwell, Anoka County

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD
Linda Klein, Eagan

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Jennifer Fink, New Brighton

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Congratulations to the MRPA professional award recipients for 2024:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Tracy Petersen, Edina

NELSON - NILES AWARD
Carrie Anderson, Roseville
Nikki Friederich, St. Louis Park

HORIZON AWARD
Jessica Christensen Buck, Corcoran
Kevin O'Brien, Faribault

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD
Troy Fritz, St. Cloud

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Jason T. West, St. Louis Park

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD
City of Duluth

LEGISLATIVE AWARD
Representative Leon Lillie

Congratulations to professional award recipients for 2023:

CLIFTON E. FRENCH AWARD
Rick Birno, Golden Valley

NELSON - NILES AWARD
Joey Schugel, New Ulm

HORIZON AWARD
Chelsea Swenhaugen, Inver Grove Heights

BOARD AND COMMISSION AWARD
Peter Dugan, Eagan

LEADERSHIP AWARD
Aimee Peterson, Maple Grove

TOMMY JOHNSON AWARD
City of Richfield

LIFETIME ACHEIVEMENT AWARD
Bob and Joan Kojetin

Awards of Excellence

The Awards of Excellence are presented by Minnesota Recreation and Park Association. 

The Awards of Excellence program recognizes agencies or organizations in Minnesota for outstanding achievements in parks, recreation, and leisure services. 

MRPA congratulates to the 28 Awards of Excellence recipients for projects or programs completed in 2025 in the following categories:

Administrative or Management Strategies

• City of Bloomington - Data Driven Park Maintenance and Operations Plan
• City of Eagan - Caponi Art Park - Property Assessment & Feasibility Study
• City of Mendota Heights - Mendota Heights Park System Master Plan
• City of Newport - Pedestrian and Trail Network Planning
• Inver Grove Heights Parks and Recreation - Reimagining Camp Management & Registration
• Washington County Parks - Permitted Foraging Program

Marketing & Communications

• Anoka County Parks - Social Media Influencer Awareness Campaign
• Saint Peter Recreation and Leisure Services Department - An Evening With...

Park and Facility

• City of Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Department - Hayes Youth Athletic Complex
• City of Bloomington - Logan Lodge - Interim Senior Activity Center
• City of Mankato - All Seasons Arena Renovation
• City of Monticello - West Bridge Park Playground Replacement Project
• City of Rochester Parks and Forestry - Soldiers Field Memorial Park Improvements
• Eagan Parks and Recreation - Eagan Art House
• Inver Grove Heights Parks and Recreation - Rock Island Swing Bridge Lighting
• Saint Peter Recreation and Leisure Services Department - Gorman Park Improvement Project - Phase 1
• Three Rivers Park District and City of Brooklyn Park - Mississippi Gateway Regional Park Redevelopment
• Woodbury Parks and Recreation - Woodbury Central Park Renovation and Expansion

Programming and Events

• City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation - Bloomington Indigenous Art Fair
• City of Brooklyn Center - Reciprocal Swim Lessons
• City of St. Louis Park - Rollin' @ The ROC
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board - Pickleball on the Parkway
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board - Spark'd Studios - Creative Entrepreneurship Youth Employment Program
• Wright County Parks & Recreation - Challenge Wright

Sponsorships and Partnerships

• Hutchinson Parks, Recreation and Community Education - Veteran's Memorial Field (VMF) - Grandstand Project and Facility Renovations
• Three Rivers Park District - Mitakuye Owasin Interpretive Trail

Volunteer Initiatives

• City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation - Dred Scott Field Improvement Kickoff
• Eagan Parks and Recreation - Teen Planning Committee

The major goal of the Awards of Excellence program is to increase public awareness and appreciation of the excellent parks, trails, and recreation services available in Minnesota. The awards committee will score selected agencies and follow up with recipients in late spring. 

Public presentations of the awards are made before the agencies’ governing bodies throughout the summer season. These projects will also be highlighted in the fall issue of the MRPA member magazine. 

MRPA Awards of Excellence for projects completed in 2024:

Administrative or Management Strategies

• City of Richfield - Our Legacy, Our Future: Local Option Sales Tax Referendum for Recreation Facilities
• City of Roseville - Natural Resources Management Plan Update
• Saint Peter Recreation and Leisure Services - 2024-2038 Parks 
• Washington County Parks - Seasonal Staffing Process Improvements

Marketing & Communications

• City of Mendota Heights - Annual Report 
• City of St. Louis Park - Share Your Story

Park and Facility

• City of Cottage Grove - Glacial Valley 
• City of New Brighton - Totem Pole Park 
• City of Rochester Parks and Forestry - Cascade Lake Regional Park
• Dakota County - CSAH 32 Wildlife 
• Washington County Parks - Historic Courthouse Reconstruction

Programming and Events

• Bemidji Parks and Recreation Department - Casting with Cops
• City of Cottage Grove - Pickleball
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board - Backyard Chicken Series - Chicken Incubation and Embryology, Coop Group
• Three Rivers Park District - Year of Bugs

Sponsorships and Partnerships

• City of Brooklyn Center - Yoga for All
• City of Brooklyn Center - Harvest for All
• City of New Brighton - Parks Discovery 
• City of Newport - Busy Beaver Play
• Three Rivers Park District and V3 Sports 

Volunteer Initiatives

• City of Winona Parks and Recreation - Free Holiday Shopping Experience
• Saint Peter Recreation and Leisure Services - VolunTeen Programs

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2023 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2022 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2021 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2020 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2019 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2018 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2017 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2016 - Read More

Awards of Excellence for Projects Completed in 2015 - Read More