The Robert Gerlach Award
Detailed Description:
The Robert Gerlach Award is bestowed by the Washington State Council of Fly Fishers International (FFI), recognizing an individual whoseexceptional, long-term volunteer service reflects dedication to FFI’s values through leadership, education, community- building, andstewardship. The award recognizes nominees who inspire others by fostering a strong, inclusive, and supportive fly fishing community across generations. The award is a tribute to a life of service, passion, andleadership in the fly fishing world. It celebrates those who have made FFI not just an organization, but a true community for generations to come.
The recipient must be a volunteer who has served for at least eight years, making significant contributions at the statewide level, and who has taken on multiple leadership roles within the organization. Their service must have advanced FFI’s core pillars—conservation, education, and community—inways that have had lasting and visible impact.
While recent achievements are considered, the emphasis is on cumulative impact. The award recognizes those who lead by example,consistently demonstrating excellence, humility, and passion for both the sport and the people within it.
Award Criteria:
- Minimum of Eight Years of Volunteer Service: The nominee must be an FFI member and have a sustained history of dedicatedvolunteerism within FFI, reflecting a long-term investment in the organization and its goals.
- Scope and Level of Service: Nominee must have served in multiple organizational capacities for the for the Council and itsrelated activities.
- Volunteer Status: Service must primarily be as a volunteer FFI member. Service as a Washington Council director or officer can beconsidered but is not required.
- Uniqueness and Integrity of the Award: The nominee must not have received this award previously. This award is not necessarilypresented annually but rather on an “as merited” basis.
- Prominence of Impact: The nominee’s contributions must be extraordinary, highly visible, and well beyond the expectations of other awards—demonstrating sustained influence and commitment that has strengthened FFI’s legacy.
Checklist for Evaluation:
- Length of service: Has the nominee contributed at least eight years of sustained volunteer service to FFI?
- Breadth of service: Has the nominee’s work spanned multiple roles and significantly impacted Council programs.
- Leadership qualities: Does the nominee’s contributions reflect leadership, mentorship, and alignment with FFI’s mission to connect andsupport fly fishers of all ages and backgrounds?
- Unique effort: Are the nominee’s achievements truly exceptional—distinctly above the standard required for other awards—and worthy ofthe highest recognition?
Nominations for the Robert Gerlach Award will be reviewed by the Awards Chair and evaluated by the full membership of the Awards Committee.The committee will make recommendations to the Directors of the Washington Council for final selection.
Click Image to go to the Nomination Form