MEMPHIS, Tennessee - May 16, 2018 - Ducks Unlimited will hold its 82nd annual national convention May 28-June 1 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. The national convention is an annual gathering and business meeting for DU&squo;s most dedicated volunteers, partners and donors.

This year&squo;s gathering will include seminars, entertainment, conservation education, demonstrations, tours and more, including the prestigious Wings Over Wetlands Awards dinner, hosted by conservationist, environmental journalist and television personality Jeff Corwin. The second annual awards celebration is set for Friday night, May 30.

The Friday business session will feature guest speaker U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, and Saturday&squo;s session will include a celebration of the successful completion of Ducks Unlimited&squo;s record-breaking Rescue Our Wetlands campaign featuring Ducks Unlimited Major Donor and Chairman of Cox Enterprises Jim Kennedy.

"As I attend my last national convention as the CEO of Ducks Unlimited, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to help lead what I feel is the greatest conservation organization in the world,&dquo; Hall said. "For the last nine years, Ducks Unlimited has met or exceeded all our goals. The great work DU does to conserve waterfowl habitat, water, reduce flood and storm damage and clean our water supplies are producing a new and diverse support base. Ducks Unlimited exemplifies what people can accomplish when they dedicate themselves to a worthy cause and work cooperatively toward a common goal.&dquo;

Newly appointed DU CEO Adam Putnam will take the convention stage for the first time. Putnam, who replaces retiring DU CEO Dale Hall, was hired in April 2019. Hall will be honored at this year&squo;s gathering.

"We have many things to celebrate in Hawaii,&dquo; DU&squo;s new CEO Adam Putnam said. "We successfully completed our record-breaking Rescue Our Wetlands campaign under Dale&squo;s leadership, thanks to our generous supporters and donors. I am honored to assume the responsibilities that come with the position of DU CEO, and I look forward to joining like-minded conservationists as we gather to celebrate our past and look to the future. We are going to have a great celebration on the Big Island.&dquo;

Special thanks to our proud partners First National Bank of Omaha for sponsoring this year&squo;s convention.

Click here for more information about the 2019 Ducks Unlimited National Convention.

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.

Media Contact:

Gregg Powers

901-758-3774

gpowers@ducks.org