2010 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year Nominations Underway

ST. LOUIS (July 28, 2009) – Budweiser and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Foundation) will team up again this fall to honor four conservationists and award $65,000 in grants for candidates’ conservation projects as part of the 2010 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year program.

Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2010 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year.  Nomination forms can be obtained by emailing or calling Tom Kelsch at tom.kelsch@nfwf.org or 202.857.0166.  The deadline for submitting nominations is August 26, 2009.

The annual Budweiser Conservationist of the Year program recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the outdoors and conservation.  Each year, a committee selects four conservationists as finalists from dozens of outstanding nominees, and adult consumers 21 and older from across the country vote for the Budweiser Conservationist of the Year in an open-ballot process on Budweiser.com. The 2010 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year will be announced in January 2010.

The 2010 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year selects a conservation organization to receive a $50,000 grant from Budweiser and the Foundation.  The three runners-up each direct a $5,000 grant to a conservation organization of their choice.

“Volunteers can have a powerful impact on conservation efforts.  By recognizing outstanding individuals each year through this program, we hope to inspire others to follow in their footsteps,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

George Dunklin Jr. from Stuttgart, Ark., an active proponent for wetland and habitat conservation, was honored as the 2009 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year.  Dunklin is an active proponent of wetland and habitat conservation in Arkansas and the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and will use the $50,000 award to support similar projects to benefit waterfowl and other wildlife species in Arkansas.  He is a member of the Ducks Unlimited President’s Council, chairman of the Ducks Unlimited Conservation Programs Committee and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.  Dunklin’s family farm is a model for restoring waterfowl habitat – a major contribution to the local ecosystem.  His company, Five Oaks Wildlife Services, provides science-based technical assistance in waterfowl management to private landowners, restoring countless acres of wetland, consulting on state and federal projects and conducting workshops for the betterment of wildlife populations.

Since Anheuser-Busch was founded in 1852, the company has been committed to supporting the environment and conserving natural resources.  Budweiser, its family of wholesalers, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, five other leading conservation organizations and loyal consumers raised over $250,000 in 2008 – and $8.7 million over the past 10 years – to conserve vital habitat and wildlife across the country through the “Help Budweiser Conserve the Outdoors” program.  Participating Anheuser-Busch wholesalers donate a percentage of proceeds from all bottles and cans of Budweiser sold during September and October as part of this national promotion.

A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats.  Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, the Foundation is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes.  Since its establishment, The Foundation has awarded more than 10,000 grants to more than 3500 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged – with its partners – more than $430 million in federal funds, for a total of over $1.5 billion invested in conservation.  For more information, visit www.nfwf.org.

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales.  The company brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light.  Anheuser Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading brewer.  Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine’s Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009.  Anheuser Busch is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world’s largest recyclers of aluminum cans.  The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo.  For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.