George S. Stormont
Nominating Agency: Grand River Conservation Authority

With a background in advertising and communications in the insurance industry, George embarked on a 22 year career at the Grand River Conservation Authority in 1969 as Director of Communications. He brought with him a professional, outgoing, enthusiastic attitude, and made an immediate impact on many levels.

He pioneered a program he dubbed "Lands for Learning", which would see Conservation Authority lands shared with watershed school boards to provide hands-on, curriculum-related outdoor education studies. The program expanded quickly, and by 1981 the Lands for Learning program had broadened its scope to include four permanent nature centres for school learning providing four different school boards with quality outdoor education for students.

Another of George's significant accomplishments is in the production of GRCA educational movies and videos about the Grand River, acting as technical advisor. One of his personal favourites was the animated film S.P.L.A.S.H., produced in cooperation with the National Film Board of Canada. These films brought conservation concepts, more specifically the importance of the river and the water cycle, to a much wider audience.

George also had a hand in the formation of the volunteer-based Grand Valley Conservation Foundation in 1965, which has raised over $10 million since its inception, and has undertaken many conservation projects, such as major reforestation work, land acquisition and trail development to name a few. The Foundation's successful "Grand River Reflections" coffee table book was the result of another of George's smart marketing ideas.

George's dedicated vision, hard work and marketing savvy have laid a solid foundation for conservation authorities in Ontario. The approaches and concepts developed during his tenure were truly innovative and will continue to serve as enduring inspiration.

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