Bass Pro names Nixon, wife Conservation Partners of the Year

Bass Pro Shops named Gov. Jay Nixon and his wife, Georganne, the company’s Conservation Partners of the Year.

Johnny Morris’ Springfield-based outdoor retailer annually honors efforts to protect the natural environment. Past recipients include former President George H.W. Bush, Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association and Rob Keck of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

A news release from the governor’s office indicated the Nixons were chosen for the award because of their work to promote and strengthen the Show-Me State’s outdoor heritage and economy. The release cited 100 Missouri Miles Challenge, the Children in Nature Challenge and the Governor’s Youth Deer Hunt and Youth Turkey Hunt, initiatives that have built youth hunting and fishing permit sales since 2009. The governor also supports Share the Harvest, a partnership between the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the state Department of Conservation, food banks and pantries, and meat processors to donate venison to Missouri families.

“On behalf of all 6 million Missourians, the first lady and I are honored to accept this award, and we thank Bass Pro Shops for its strong corporate citizenship and support for Missouri’s outdoor economy,” Nixon said in the release.