Spencer G. Sealy, along the North Saskatchewan River near Battleford, September 2013. (Photograph by Noreen Sealy.)

Each year, the AOU Executive Committee has the option to present an extraordinary AOU member with the Marion K. Jenkinson Award for exemplary service to the union. This award was developed in honor of a long-serving AOU treasurer who put her heart and soul into the AOU for decades. Thus, the bar is set high for any potential recipient.

This year, the AOU Executive Committee quickly nominated and happily approved a former editor of The Auk, Professor Spencer Sealy, as the 2013 recipient of the Marion K. Jenkinson Award.

Spencer has been a dedicated member of the AOU for over four decades. In 1972, he was on the committee to nominate members (now Elected Members). Two years later, he hosted the 1975 annual meeting in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and served as chair of the scientific committee for the meeting.

Spencer's greatest contribution to the AOU may be the excellent work that he performed as first an associate editor of The Auk from 2002 through 2004, and then as editor from 2005 to 2009. He took over The Auk at a critical time and at a period of transition from traditional to electronic publishing. He was a gentleman's gentleman in all aspects of his dealings with authors, associate editors, and the publication staff. He maintained high standards for the journal without alienating authors whose papers had not been accepted. When his term ended, he left The Auk in great shape for the incoming editor and served on the publications committee for years after his editorship.

Spencer has served the AOU while developing an outstanding research and teaching program at the University of Manitoba. His diverse work has ranged from Pacific seabirds to Yellow Warblers on the Delta Marsh in Manitoba. His direction of more than 50 graduate students and publication of over 250 papers led the AOU to present him with the William Brewster Award in 2008.

The AOU is sincerely grateful to Spencer G. Sealy for decades of service to the union and we salute him with the Marion K. Jenkinson Service award.

Award criteria.—The Marion A. Jenkinson AOU Service Award was created by the Council in 1996 to honor Marion Jenkinson Mengel, who served the AOU as treasurer and in other capacities for many years. It is awarded to an individual who has performed continued extensive service to the AOU, including holding elected offices but emphasizing volunteered contributions and committee participation. Recipients are selected by the AOU Executive Committee. The award consists of a framed certificate.