The Lester Award

The Lester Award is one of Western Planner's oldest and most meaningful traditions, dating back to our very first conference in 1981. Over the decades, it has been presented to planners from across the West whose careers have reflected both the challenges and the unique realities of practicing planning in small towns and rural communities.

The award has long carried a healthy dose of Western Planner humor. It has often been joked that the recipient is the planner who has most thoroughly "extinguished" themselves in the profession. While the tongue-in-cheek spirit remains part of its identity, the Lester has always represented something much deeper.

Planning in the American West is not always easy. Planners often find themselves navigating political pressure, public controversy, ethical dilemmas, natural disasters, economic downturns, and the countless challenges that come with serving close-knit communities. Western Planner was founded to ensure that no planner has to face those moments alone, and the Lester Award has become an extension of that mission.

Rather than recognizing hardship for its own sake, the Lester celebrates resilience. It honors planners who have faced adversity with professionalism, integrity, and perseverance, and who have emerged stronger while continuing to serve their communities and support fellow planners. The award is not about embarrassment or misfortune. It is about acknowledging the courage it takes to weather difficult seasons and recognizing those who embody the resilience that defines our profession.

Throughout its history, there have been years when the Western Planner Board chose not to present the Lester Award because no appropriate nomination had been identified. That tradition continues today. The Lester is never awarded out of obligation. It is reserved for planners whose experiences and character remind all of us that resilience, compassion, and mutual support remain at the heart of Western Planner.