The Arkansas Wildlife Federation has honored the late John Patrick “Pat” Fitts, former director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, with the Harold Alexander Lifetime Conservation Achievement Award, the organization’s highest honor.
The award was presented Friday during a ceremony at AGFC headquarters in Little Rock Arkansas, where AWF President Clint Coleman recognized Fitts’ lifelong dedication to conservation. The award was accepted by his wife, Alice Fitts.
“This is the highest conservation achievement award the Arkansas Wildlife Federation presents,” Coleman said. “I can think of no one more deserving than Pat.”
Fitts served as the 18th director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission from 2018 through 2021, concluding a 32-year career with the agency.
His journey began in Lonoke Arkansas as a high school fisheries technician at the Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery, where he performed hands-on work maintaining fish habitats. After earning a degree in fish and wildlife management from Arkansas Tech University, Fitts returned to the agency as a fisheries biologist before transitioning to the Enforcement Division and eventually rising to director.
Arkansas Speaker of the House Brian Evans praised Fitts’ impact, noting his contributions to Arkansas’ outdoor resources and conservation legacy.
Leaders say Fitts’ work helped strengthen Arkansas’ reputation as “The Natural State,” preserving wildlife and outdoor opportunities for future generations.
For more information, visit arwild.org.
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