Neptunea Award

Many of us are beginning to plan for the 2025 COA Convention in Corpus Christi, TX. One of the many events on the agenda will be the annual COA Neptunea Award(s), and it is my privilege at this time to call for nominations. The consensus of the COA Board is to reopen nominations with a "clean slate" annually. Nominees not selected in previous years are certainly welcome for consideration if renominated - in fact their renomination is encouraged. For the present cycle, nominations will close on May 15, 2025, to allow ample time for deliberation before the convention. Please note that members of the Board of Directors are not eligible to receive the Neptunea Award while actively serving on the Board.

By way of background, the Neptunea Award (Brunner, 2000; Lipe, 2000) was established at the midyear (1999-2000) meeting of the COA Board in order to recognize outstanding and distinguished service to conchologists and malacologists in recognition of:

1. Service to the Conchologists of America
AND/OR
2. Service to the scientific interests of Conchologists of America
AND/OR
3. Service to the science of Malacology as it applies to conchologists anywhere.

Although notable exceptions have been made, the COA Board, which serves as the jury for the Neptunea Award, has traditionally weighed its consideration for award recipients toward (1) amateurs, those not currently pursuing a principal career involving collection, study, or commerce of mollusks; (2) individuals "working behind the scenes" and relatively unrecognized in the COA world for their contributions; and (3) active members of the COA. Up to three awards have been made at our annual conventions beginning with the Houston event in 2000 (see below)

Nomination(s) for the Neptunea Award may be made by any COA member, and the format is simple:

Name of nominee:
This person deserves this award because (Here a somewhat detailed paragraph will suffice.)

 ....... Signed ..........

and either snail-mail or email that nomination to me, the COA Neptunea Award Coordinator:

John Jacobs
202 Soldier Court
Seffner, FL  33584-5764
<neptuniacoa@gmail.com>


Previous Neptunea Award winners:

2000 (Houston, TX): Ross Gunderson, Ben and Josy Wiener, Debbie Wills
2001 (Port Canaveral, FL): Emilio Garcia, Harry Lee, Lynn Scheu
2002 (Sarasota, FL): Richard Petit, Bernard and Phyllis Pipher
2003 (Tacoma, WA) Jim and Linda Brunner, Kevin Lamprell, Doris Underwood
2004 (Tampa, FL): Bobbi Houchin
2005 (Punta Rassa, FL): Richard Forbush, Anne Joffe, William Lyons
2006 (Mobile, AL): Jack Lightbourn, Betty Lipe
2007 (Portland, OR): none given
2008 (San Antonio, TX): Bill Frank, Archie Jones
2009 (Clearwater, FL) none given
2010 (Boston, MA): none given
2011 (Port Canaveral, FL): Alan Gettleman
2012 (Cherry Hill, NJ): Gary Rosenberg, Martin Avery Snyder
2013 (Sarasota, FL): David and Lucille Green, Marlo Krisberg, and Charles Rawlings
2014 (Wilmington, NC): Colin Redfern, Tom Rice
2015 (Weston, FL) John and Cheryl Jacobs; Kevan and Linda Sunderland
2016 (Chicago, IL) Rich Goldberg, Homer Rhode, Charlotte Thorpe,
2017 (Key West.Fl) Robert ( Bob) Janowsky
2018 (San Diego,Cl) Bruce Neville
2019 (Captiva Isl,Fl) Gary Schmelz and John Timmerman
2020 (no convention) Paul Callomon and Ed Shuller & Jeannette Tysor
2021 (Melbourne, FL): Paul Kanner, Roger Portell, Dr. Douglas Wolfe
2022 (Galveston, TX): Everett Long, Carole Marshall
2023 (Wilmington, NC) Dr. Emily Vokes, Dr. José H. Leal, and Bob & Alice Pace
2024 (Melbourne, FL): Mary Ellen Akers, Charles Barr, Joyce Matthys

 

Brunner, L., 2000. The Neptunea Award. American Conchologist 28(3): 3. Sept.
Lipe, B[etty], 2000 President's Message. American Conchologist 28(4): 2. Dec.

 

I thank you in advance you for taking time to submit your nominee for consideration.

John Jacobs
Neptunea Award Coordinator