Besides coordinating and collaborating with our writers and contributing his own content periodically, CrappieNOW Editor Richard Simms also shares his freelance journalistic talents for other media outlets. We’re proud that Simms has amassed an impressive array of awards in outdoor journalism competitions across the country recently.
TOWA EXCELLENCE IN CRAFT
In Simms’s home state, the Tennessee Outdoors Writers Association (TOWA) 2021 Excellence in Craft competition, he won First Place in the Feature category for his story, “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda – A Deer Hunting Tale.”
In the TOWA News Story category, Simms won First and Second place for two stories – “Tennessee Woman Found Guilty of Felony Theft for Taking Hunting Dog” and “Catoosa Cougar – Is It or Isn’t It?”.
In the TOWA Photography category Simms took Third Place for his cover shot on The Feb. 2020 Issue of CrappieNOW online magazine.
SEOPA EXCELLENCE IN CRAFT
In the 2021 Southeastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA) Excellence in Craft competition, Simms garnered a First Place Award in the relatively new “Social Media” category about his novel recovery of a harvested whitetail deer.
Simms also garnered a third place award for his NewsChannel9.com Outdoors story, “He Called the Woods Home: College.” He was also awarded a third place award in the “Outdoor Entrepreneur Project” category.
SEOPA includes nearly 300 outdoor journalists from all 16 southeastern states plus many from across the country.
AGLOW AWARDS IN CRAFT
In the 2021 Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Simms was awarded second place in the Photography category for his photo called “A Birders Sunrise,” the lead photo for this story.
AGLOW includes more than 400 members from the northeast states and across the country.
Simms is a native of Chattanooga with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management and Minor degree in Journalism. Prior to beginning a 30-year career in broadcast journalism, Simms was a Game Warden, a Wildlife Photographer and an Information Officer for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
He says his mission these days is to share the message of conservation for the protection and wise use of our natural and wildlife resources.
“I am very proud that CrappieNOW allows me to contribute, in my own small way, to such an illustrious outlet,” said Simms.
See all the SEOPA 2021 Award recipients on this web page.
See all the AGLOW 2021 Award recipients on this web page.
