John O'Meara, former director of Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, was honored at the 2015 Great Lakes Park Training Institute for his 35 years of exemplary leadership in parks, outdoor recreation and conservation in Ohio. O'Meara, who retired from Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks in 2014, received the Institute's prestigious Richard W. Lawson Award for his vision and leadership at the park district. John O'Meara's ability to connect the community to the metro parks resulted in strong voter support for funding levies, attracting a record 7.5 million park visitors a year, and expanding the metro park system to 27,000 acres for conservation and outdoor recreation.

The late Richard Lawson was a faculty member in the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Department at Indiana University and long time director of the Institute.  The Great Lakes Park Training Institute is held at Pokagon State Park in northern Indiana each February, and hosts professionals from Ohio and other Great Lakes states. It was a well deserved honor.