Bill Hilts Sr. of Sanborn, N.Y., received the 2009 J. Hammond Brown Memorial Award. The award is OWAA’s most prestigious recognition of a member “for devoted past service to the organization over a period of continuous years.” Editor of Bear Journal, Hilts served as OWAA president in 1990-91, is a Life Member, with his membership originating in 1961.

Congratulations are in order for Bill Hilts, Sr. of Sanborn who was recently honored by his peers at the 82nd Annual Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) Conference in Grand Rapids,
Michigan last week. At the final awards banquet, Hilts was recognized as this year's recipient of the coveted Ham Brown Award, symbolic of the member who has done the most to support and nurture this organization -- the largest outdoor writers group in the world. Hilts, Sr. is a past president and also served on the board at one time for 16 consecutive years. Another milestone during his membership, which began back in 1961, was a string of attending 39 consecutive conferences -- an achievement that still stands.