George Petrides Honored

George Petrides, Sr., founder and chairman of Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc. recently received a Citizens Award for Exceptional Service by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

This prestigious award recognizes private citizens and organizations for their significant contributions to the mission and goals of the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Petrides was honored for his assistance in improving the Service's bird watching and conservation programs throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). In a letter announcing his award, H. Dale Hall, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, thanked Petrides for helping the Fish and Wildlife Service forge new partnerships, for giving generously of his time, talents, and insights to make the refuges more birder-friendly while helping birders to better understand the roles of national wildlife refuges. Hall continued, "Because of Petrides' contribution, the public is more aware of birds and their habitats, and conservation issues that are central to the mission of the Service."