Township Parks and Recreation Director Chris Nunes earns national recognition

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (July 17, 2015) – The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) recently selected The Woodlands Township Director of Parks and Recreation Chris Nunes to receive the National Distinguished Professional Award. The NRPA will publicly present the award during a special reception at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday, September 17, 2015.

Each year, NRPA National Awards are presented to individuals and agencies across the U.S. to honor their efforts—both professional and personal—in the field of parks and recreation. There are 10 award categories in the NRPA’s National Awards program. Recipients are selected from a pool of applicants by NRPA’s National Awards and Scholarship Committee, and are chosen for excellence in a variety of topics, including professional and voluntary service, programming, leadership, research and public outreach.

The National Distinguished Professional Award is presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field through their leadership, research, advocacy, community outreach and program development.

“This is well deserved and a credit to the entire Parks Department operation,” said Don Norrell, president and general manager of The Woodlands Township.

The Woodlands Township Parks and Recreation Department coordinates thousands of recreation programs and manages more than 130 parks, 205 miles of pathways and 14 aquatic facilities.

The Woodlands parks have won numerous accolades by leading organizations such as the National Recreation and Parks Association, Texas Recreation and Parks Society, Texas Public Pool Council, Aquatics International, and the Association of Aquatic Professionals.

“NRPA is pleased to honor our nation’s park and recreation heroes—agencies and individuals who work tirelessly and with passion to improve the lives of their citizens and make their communities great,” said Barbara Tulipane, president and CEO of NRPA.

A full list of NRPA National Award winners is available at www.nrpa.org/nationalawards.

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 50,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org/. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

For more information on The Woodlands Township, please visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.org or call 281-210-3800.