Daniel O’Keefe RECEIVES PISTIS AWARD
by Captain Eric Andersen, President
The Pistis Award is given in honor of Chuck Pistis, former Michigan Sea Grant Program Director. It honors an individual or organization outside MCBA who is a defender of our Great Lakes and natural resources.
This year the Michigan Charter Boat Association proudly presented the Annual Pistis Award at our fall awards banquet to Dr. Daniel O’Keefe, Michigan Sea Grant Program Director. He has been a great asset to our Association, providing fisheries related information such as aquatic nuisance species here in the Great Lakes, charter-fishing economics and industry updates that effects our charter business on a daily basis.
Dr. O’Keefe’s list of academic accomplishments include a B.S. Degree from Michigan State University, a Master’s Degree from Central Michigan University and a PHD from Mississippi State University. Currently, Dr. O’Keefe’ represents Michigan Sea Grant on the Lake Michigan Citizens Advisory Committee and the Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species Committee.
In addition, a noteworthy thing for our membership is, Dr. O’Keefe is one of our first Michigan State University Fisheries students to receive the Michigan Charter Boat Association “Denny Grinold” Scholarship Award. These scholarships are awarded each year to two students in April by MCBA.
Dr. O’Keefe is certainly an individual worthy of our annual Pistis Award.