NAMA Awards 2011
Award for Contributions to Amateur Mycology
The 2011 NAMA Award for Contributions to Amateur Mycology is presented to Jay Justice. Jay has devoted himself to enriching mycological understanding, both as a taxonomist and administrator. As president and prime mover of the Arkansas Mycological Society, he has instigated many fungal activities in his region. He has worked tirelessly to support mycological societies throughout the country and willingly serves as a taxonomist at numerous club forays. He often leads workshops and gives presentations for local clubs, wherever they are. Among his special interests are the genera of southern Boletus and Amanita and his grasp of these groups has contributed to a better understanding of their fruitings and geographical areas.
As a mycological booster, Jay as served as both a club trustee to NAMA and a Regional Trustee for NAMA. He has also generously supported NAMA in many capacities, including those of being a member of the Toxicology Committee, Editor of the Mycophile, Chairman of the Foray Committee and Vice President.
Jay’s enthusiasm for all things fungal and his graciousness in sharing his knowledge with any interested person makes him an ideal candidate for this award.
The Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award
The 2011 NAMA Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award is presented to Ron Spinosa of the Minnesota Mycological Society. Ron Spinosa’s passion for mycology is evidenced by his continued service to the MMS, NAMA, local schools and nature centers as well as the medical community in Minnesota.
Without Ron’s hard work and dedication to the MMS, the club would not be as strong as it is today. Ron has been an active member for more than 20 years and a board member for the past 12 years, serving as president for four terms. Ron has been the editor of the MMS newsletter, "The Toadstool Review," since 2006 and has written many original articles. He serves as the clubs primary mushroom identification expert on forays, at club meetings and when the general public submits questions. He has earned the President’s Award, Golden Chanterelle Award and the MMS Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ron has taken an active role in mushroom cultivation for NAMA since 2005. He has given presentations on cultivation at three NAMA forays and helped schedule speakers at two additional NAMA forays. He also founded the NAMA Mushroom Cultivation Group on Yahoo Tech Groups.
Ron leads up the MMS educational outreach program by serving on the State Fair committee each year and by giving talks and providing expert advice at schools, nature centers, plant shows, museums and even commercial garden centers. In addition, Ron helped create the traveling exhibit display and maintains a large specimen collection for use with the exhibit.
Finally, Ron serves a critical role in the community by being available to identify mushrooms for the Regional Poison Control Center. It is because of his dedication to so many areas of mycology education that Ron would be an excellent choice to receive the prestigious Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award for 2011.
back to topPresident's Outstanding Service Award
This year the President's Outstanding Service Award was given to two NAMA members: Dr. Patrick Leacock and Ike Forester.
This award is presented to Dr. Patrick Leacock in recognition of his many years of dedicated and outstanding service to NAMA. Beginning in 1988 he served as Recorder for many years and, in 1997 assisted in instituting the NAMA Voucher Collection Program, serving as Chair of the Committee, Coordinator of the Program, and liaison with the Field Museum since 1998. Dr. Leacock has not only directed, but has also provided professional assistance with the identification, photography, preservation, and accessioning of hundreds of NAMA voucher specimens. He has carefully compiled and analyzed data from the voucher collection as well as prior years of foray lists. Through Dr. Leacock’s exceptional efforts and leadership, NAMA has built and maintains one of the finest collections of fungi in North America.
This award is presented to Ike Forester in recognition of his outstanding and dedicated service to the North American Mycological Association. Ike held the position of Treasurer for several years followed by two terms as President, both important and demanding positions that he handled with distinction and foresight. As President he successfully guided this organization with skill through unexpected and challenging circumstances. In addition, he has generously given to NAMA the benefit of his professional expertise and advice. And most importantly, he was able to maintain NAMA’s tradition of excellence and to pass on to the new management team an organization in shipshape.
NAMA Memorial Fellowship
Vincent Hustad is the 2011 recipient of the NAMA Memorial Award. Vince is a PhD candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Miller. Vince’s dissertation research is the construction of a comprehensive, species-level phylogeny of the Geoglossomycetes, incorporating morphological, molecular, and ecological data. Vince earned a MS from Eastern Illinois University in 2008 studying terrestrial macrofungi in old-growth prairie groves under Dr. Andrew Methven. His research interests include forest fungal and lichen ecology and Leotiomycete systematics. Vince will use his award funds to collect specimens in Europe this fall.