A former Arkansas Game and Fish commissioner, Hinkle served 14 years on the board of the National Wild Turkey Federation, ultimately serving as president of the national chapter of the organization. During that time, he worked for the expansion and improvement of habitat throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada through various NWTF initiatives.

Owner and former president of Xpress Boats, an enterprise with a family-run beginning, he revolutionized the way fishing and hunting boats were made. Herndon set new standards in strength and durability in boats for outdoors enthusiasts.

Longtime owner of Gaston’s White River Resort, Gaston has been in the forefront of Arkansas’ world-acclaimed trout fishing activities more than 35 years, with a leading role in promotion of tourism for all the state as well as his home area.

Jerry Fisk is a master bladesmith and internationally recognized artist. A contributing editor of Blade Magazine, Jerry’s list of accomplishments and awards for his craft is long and his work can be found in museums around the world. He serves as advisor to the Arkansas Department of Heritage, is a member of the Bladesmith Hall of Fame and was named a National Living Treasure by the University of North Carolina at Williamsburg’s Museum of World Cultures. He and his wife, Lorraine, live in Nashville, Arkansas.

George Dunklin is a past AGFC Commissioner, the current Ducks Unlimited President, and lifelong conservationist. A third generation rice farmer, George is a strong advocate for rice agriculture in the region. He has followed his family tradition of farming, hunting and conservation. A Pine Bluff native, he has three grown daughters with his wife, Livia and lives in Stuttgart.

Joel Campora, AGFC Wildlife Officer First Class, alongside Sherriff Cody Carpenter responded to a 911 call during overnight flashfloods in 2013. Both officers lost their lives in the line of duty attempting to save two Y City victims trapped in their home by severe floodwaters. A wildlife officer since 2007, Joel considered a life as a game warden “a dream.” Originally from Mena, he was a member of the AGFC Dive Team and the Disaster Response Team. Joel is survived by his wife Rebecca and their two daughters.

Steve Bowman is an accomplished outdoor writer and editor, photographer, book author and television show producer. Originally from Jonesboro, Steve lives in Little Rock. In his work as the outdoor editor with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, he was instrumental in the implementation of the 3-point rule in deer hunting, ending the channelization of the White River and passing Amendment 75, which is utilized by the AGFC to support conservation work across the state. He and his wife Barbara share three children.

Dr. Doyne and Nancy Williams of Little Rock are All-American competitive trapshooters, winning hundreds of state, regional and national championships. Both are members of the Arkansas Trapshooting Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. Doyne was a noted cardiovascular surgeon at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and St. Vincent Infirmary, while Nancy worked as a clinical nurse specialist in cardiovascular disease.

C.B. Thompson Jr. of North Little Rock founded Fort Thompson Sporting Goods, a legendary outpost for hunters across Arkansas. Under Thompson, a lifelong aficionado of bass fishing and duck hunting, what began as a grocery and general store in Rose City in 1931 has transformed into a retail haven for hunters and fishermen. Fort Thompson continues to thrive today as 19,000-square-foot destination for outdoorsmen along Warden Road in Sherwood.

LEGACY AWARD

The first Republican elected to Congress from Arkansas since Reconstruction, Hammerschmidt served 26 years in office. In one of his 12 campaigns, which he typically won handily, Hammerschmidt defeated a law student named Bill Clinton. Among Hammerschmidt's lasting legislative achievements was his work to designate the Buffalo River as the country's first "national river." Hammerschmidt-sponsored legislation that prevented the federal government from building dams on the Buffalo, thus preserving it as a free-flowing stream and leading to its development as a national park.