MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Aug. 26, 2016 - Billie Ray Fann was named Ducks Unlimited's (DU) Regional Director of the Year for his outstanding efforts as a staff member of Region 3, an area that encompasses Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

"As a Ducks Unlimited regional director, I'm honored to be the recipient of this coveted award," Fann said. "While this award is greatly appreciated by all regional directors, I think it pales in comparison to that of the Ducks Unlimited's Area Chairman of the year award. Our volunteers are the true heroes deserving recognition in the pursuit of our mission. Their passion is the fuel that drives my efforts every day."

Fann, a resident of Milford, Mich., covers southeast Michigan and works with volunteer committees in this area hosting fundraisers for the 79-year-old conservation organization. The events in his region raised more than $800,000 for DU's conservation mission in the recent fiscal year ending on June 30.

DU is the leader in wetlands conservation and volunteers are the heart and soul of the organization. Through 4,000 local fund-raising events DU volunteers generate more than 500,000 memberships and more than $53 million annually.

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 13.8 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:
Matt Coffey
(901) 758-3764
mcoffey@ducks.org