FGC President Larry Barrett Receives the First Gulf Sturgeon Award From the SRWMD
February 14, 2025 6:20 am
FGC President Dr. Larry Barrett (holding
sturgeon) and SRWMD's Troy Roberts
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last night, Florida Gateway President Larry Barrett received the first Gulf Sturgeon Award from the Suwannee River Water Management District. Troy Roberts, Chief of Communications and Outreach at the District, expressed gratitude to the College for hosting and supporting the North Florida Water Resource Symposium on January 28.
Mr. Roberts explained that the event hadn't been held in 20 years and attracted 160 attendees.
Mr. Roberts said, “We thought the best way to do something, reach everybody at one time, was to have a big board resource symposium. We haven't done anything like this in probably two decades. It was a massive undertaking. Six of us put this entire thing together, and it was a tremendous success.”
“We had both the library and the conference center gymnasium. The event would not have happened without our sponsors, primarily Florida Gateway College, for providing the venue. Not only did Dr. Barrett and his staff provide the venue, they also provided assistance during the event both days.”
Mr. Roberts said the college staff went above and beyond responding to last-minute requests, which ensured the event ran smoothly and was instrumental in making the symposium a success.
The College was presented with a piece of fine art, a welded Gulf sturgeon, a fish that has been around for over 200 million years and is an endangered species.
The Gulf sturgeon, also known as the Gulf of Mexico sturgeon, spends time in the Suwannee River, a region that the WMD protects.
After the meeting, Mr. Roberts told your reporter, "The survival of the Gulf sturgeon is dependent upon people working together. This is important to the District and this award reminds people working together benefits the environment and everyone in North Florida.”
