SITLA Deputy Assistant Director Lou Brown received the Governor’s Award for Excellence for Outstanding Public Service. Mr. Brown has served SITLA and its predecessor agency, the Division of State Lands, since September 1980. As a distinguished leader in this agency, his contributions and accomplishments are numerous, but highlights include work with Utah prairie dog mitigation, and water rights, grazing, and renewable energy programs. Mr. Brown led Agency projects in Utah prairie dog mitigation efforts. He worked diligently with state and federal agencies to administer three prairie dog protection zones in Wayne County, the first formal animal species mitigation bank agreement in the western United States. He coordinated land sales to resolve prairie dog issues for cities and counties in Southern Utah, and also serves on the Utah Prairie Dog Recovery Implementation Program. Through his relationships with the Division of Water Rights, Mr. Brown enabled the Agency to preserve and protect nearly 400 acre feet of important water rights in John’s Valley, Garfield County. As grazing program supervisor, Mr. Brown coordinates the Agency’s largest lease program. Mr. Brown has also shown great leadership to advance the Agency’s renewable energy leasing program by managing two wind and five solar leases in various stages of development. In all of his work, Mr. Brown’s leadership and integrity enable him to establish trust with cities, counties, lessees, and other state and federal agencies.