On March 17, 2018, The Houma based Benny Cenac Towing Company, partnered with the 54th Governor’s State Conservation Achievement Awards Program banquet as a sponsor for the remarkable occasion. The ceremony was held at Boudreaux’s in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “The banquet was held to recognize and celebrate three individuals and three organizations for their outstanding achievement in natural resource and conservation and education in 2017,” according to the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, who hosted the event.
The 2017 recipients celebrated at the conservation awards ceremony included individuals, Bren Haase who received the Governor’s Award, Conservationist of the Year, Edward Jame Bodker who received Volunteer Conservationist of the Year, and Nova Clarke who received Conservation Educator of the Year. The organizations that received awards were the Red River National Wildlife Youth Conservation Corps that received the Youth Conservationists of the Year award, the Louisiana Public Square “Coastal Restoration: The Next Wave” produced by LPB awarded the Conservation Communicator of the Year, and South Wings which received Conservation Organization of the Year. The awards themselves, handsome statuettes of majestic wild animals, are unique to the program and highly coveted by all who receive them.
The Louisiana Wildlife Federation was incorporated in 1940 and was part of a movement that focused on conservation throughout the United States. An early focus of statewide conservation advocacy groups was removing politics from fish and wildlife management decisions. The popular concept to achieve this was to create a bipartisan citizens commission to set policy and oversee the operation of the state fish and wildlife agency. This idea was vigorously promoted by the Wildlife Management Institute and was one of the first objectives of the Federation, achieved in 1952 with the establishment of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC). Today, the organization continues to work on initiating the protection and preservation of our state’s natural resources.
According to Terry L. Melancon, LWF president, “For over 40 years the federation’s annual conservation awards program has recognized those individuals, organizations, and businesses who have gone ‘above and beyond’ in their efforts to conserve fish and wildlife resources, to enhance opportunities for all of our citizens to enjoy the outdoors, to improve the quality of the environment, and to educate and advocate on behalf of our natural resources here in Louisiana. Thanks to the participation of hundreds of Louisiana citizens who have, over the years, encouraged good conservation work by submitting nominations to the program, these awards are widely acclaimed as the most prestigious recognitions of conservation accomplishment that are presented annually in our state.”
Mr. Arlen “Benny” Cenac, CEO and owner of Cenac Marine Services, is well known as an avid outdoorsman in addition to his passion and interest in coastal restoration and conservation. He has event developed his own levee system on his personal ranch in order to preserve the land he loves. The Benny Cenac Towing Family has also contributed to coastal levee maintenance and restoration in the past. When asked about the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and his support of it, he stated that sponsoring this event wasn’t even a question. “The conservation and education of Louisiana wildlife and coastal restoration are two things that have always been significant to me. To be a part of celebrating the people who cherish the importance of these things just as much as I do is a dream come true.”
Thank you to all of those who were able to attend the event and congratulations to the very significant men and women who have conquered these achievements. We look forward to celebrating and supporting this award program in the years to come.
To learn more about Mr. Cenac’s philanthropic efforts and the causes he supports, please visit the philanthropy section of our site.