Governor O’Malley Names Bob Slaff Chesapeake Bay Ambassador
WWII Veteran, Journalist Recognized for Contributions to Maritime Community

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KENT ISLAND — On Wednesday, September 12, at the Marine Trades Association of Maryland (MTAM) Annual Conference, maritime photo-journalist Bob Slaff was officially named Chesapeake Bay Ambassador by Governor Martin O’Malley. Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Deputy Secretary Eric Schwaab presented the award on behalf of the Governor, the first such designation under the O’Malley Administration.

“From his days with the U.S. Navy to his work as a journalist, Bob has demonstrated a lifelong passion for our waterways, and a tireless commitment to Maryland’s unrivaled maritime community,” said Governor O’Malley. “I can think of no more appropriate candidate for our first Chesapeake Bay Ambassador designation.”

Slaff, a veteran of World War II, is a well known journalist whose work appears regularly in The Capital, the Maryland Gazette, The Mariner, Nor’Easter and The Baltimore Sun. In service to the maritime community, Slaff has been a member of the Maryland Boat Act Advisory Committee since 1988, and has previously served as President of MTAM (1986-1989), President of the Susquehanna River Basin Association (1973-1976), and a member of the Annapolis Maritime Advisory Board (1985-1989).

An Annapolis resident, Slaff has been married since 1948 to Esther Shapiro Slaff. They have four children and seven grandchildren.

Created in 2004, the Chesapeake Bay Ambassador recognizes citizens for significant extraordinary contributions to the maritime community and to the promotion of recreational fishing and boating in Maryland.

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September 13, 2007

Contact: Olivia Campbell 410-260-8016 office I 410-507-7525 cell ocampbell@dnr.state.md.us

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov