Illinois Park & Recreation Association Awards

Nominations must be submitted by Friday, November 8, 2025

Young Professional of the Year Award: The Young Professional of the Year Award is presented to a current IPRA member who has served fewer than eight (8) years as a full-time professional in the field of parks and recreation, has been actively engaged in IPRA and who has made an impact in the field of parks and recreation and/or in the community they serve.

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Professional of the Year Award: The Professional of the Year Award is presented to a current IPRA member who has served a minimum of eight (8) years as a full-time professional in the field of parks and recreation, holds an industry certification, has been actively engaged in IPRA and who has made an impact within the parks and recreation industry and/or in the community they serve.

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Champions for Change Award: The Champions for Change Award recognizes an agency with a unique and exemplary practice of increasing access and fostering diversity and inclusion within their community or organization. These are measurable practices that remove barriers, result in positive social change, and inspire others to follow in their path. It improves the working experience and engagement levels of minority employees, and/or the lives of minority populations within the community through the delivery of excellent ethnically and culturally competent services.

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Community Impact Award: The Community Impact Award is presented to a current IPRA member who has served a minimum of eight years as a full-time professional and has made a major contribution to their local agency/community through their involvement with local community, non-profit, and business organizations.

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Robert Artz Lifetime Achievement Award: The IPRA Lifetime Achievement Award was established to honor Robert Artz’s legacy of service to the park and recreation profession. The recipient’s efforts will have had a lasting impact and created awareness of the importance of parks and recreation among his/her peers and in the community he/she serves. The Robert Artz Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a current IPRA member who has served a minimum of twenty-five (25) years as a full-time professional in the field of parks and recreation, of which at least fifteen (15) have been in Illinois. Recipients must hold an industry certification, have been actively engaged in IPRA, and have made a significant achievement for their agency or through involvement within their community.

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For additional awards information, and criteria or to submit a nomination click here. Awards will be presented Friday, January 30, 2026, during the All-Conference Awards Luncheon at the annual IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights conference. For general questions regarding the IPRA Awards and Recognition Program, please contact Vince Davis at 708/588-2286 or vince@ilipra.org.

CONGRATULATIONS to IPRA’s 2025 AWARD WINNERS!

Young Professional of the Year: Taylor Krawczyk,  St Charles Park District

Professional of the Year: Jim Rogers, Elmhurst Park District

Community Impact: Quincy Bejster, Waukegan Park District

Champions for Change: Homewood-Flossmoor Park District

Robert Artz Lifetime Achievement: Michael Benard, Wheaton Park District