AMFF Announces Johnny Morris to Receive 2021 Heritage Award
For the past 50 years, Johnny Morris and the company he founded have been committed to conservation and providing value to customers. Bass Pro Shops and the White River Marine Group have transformed how sportsmen relate to the outdoor product and boating markets. Through time and across brands, Morris and his business network have empowered efforts to conserve nature, promote sportsmen's rights and introduce new audiences to the great outdoors.
The success of Morris' conservation efforts has been recognized in the form of awards and honors from organizations far and wide. Morris was presented with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award by President George H. W. Bush during a special ceremony at the White House in 1990. He has also been awarded highest honors from such distinguished organizations as the Audubon Society, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the National Wildlife Federation and others. Morris has been honored with appointments by three sitting US presidents.
Johnny Morris' conservation legacy, however, exists not in these honors and recognition. This legacy is best observed in the million-plus annual visitors to the Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium—each of which who leave with a reaffirmed love for nature and conservation. His legacy is most evident in cascading levels of benefit his efforts have created for current and future generations of sportsmen and women.
The American Museum of Fly Fishing established the Heritage Award to honor and celebrate individuals and organizations whose commitment to the museum, the sport of fly fishing, and the conservation of our natural resources set standards to which we all should aspire. Johnny Morris is honored to be a part of this distinguished community.
"At this extraordinary time for The AMFF, we are thrilled to be honoring one of the most significant figures in our industry today who is both a visionary and conservation champion. Johnny Morris has helped pave the way for today's outdoors industry – and so many conservation efforts within it – through his passion, his brand, his tireless efforts, his constant and unconditional generosity and, perhaps most importantly, his vision of how to enhance peoples' lives through the great outdoors. His contributions to the industry and conservation are so great and varied that they simply cannot be listed here. The foundation of his immense success within, and impact on, the industry, on so many levels, is built on the simple passion he has for the outdoors and his strong desire to share this among fellow outdoors men and women." – AMFF President Fred Polhemus
For more info, contact SPitcher@amff.org.