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R. Marlin Perkins Award: 1999
AZA Honorary Member
William P. Braker
AZA President 1973-1974
John G. Shedd Aquarium
Bill was born on November 3, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a B.S. from Northwestern University in 1950, an M.S. from George Washington University in 1953, and did post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago from 1955-1960. He served as a U.S. Army Medical Laboratory Technician from 1950-1952.
Bill began his aquarium career as an Aquarist at the Shedd Aquarium in 1950 and later became the Aquarium's Assistant Curator in 1953, its Assistant Director in 1960, and its Director in 1964. He is also a member of the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, American Fisheries Society, Society for Marine Mammalogy, and the Nature Conservancy (Illinois Chapter). He has served as a consultant on the National Fisheries Center and Aquarium, as well as for numerous other aquariums.
As a member of AZA, Bill was one of the original Incorporators who established AZA as an independent Association, Board Member (1968-1975, 1991-1993), Chair Charter and Bylaws Committee, on the AZA Management School faculty, Aquarium Committee, Ethics Board, Legislation Committee, Nominating Committee, and Accreditation Commission.
While President, Bill approved retaining legal council (Ginsburg, Feldman and Bress) to represent AZA on federal proposals concerning the Endangered Species Act and the Injurious Wildlife Act, which would have prevented the importation of injurious species (the Act considered all exotic species as injurious). This was the first time AZA took legal action to protect its professional interests. In addition, he oversaw a process that attempted to accommodate private institutions, such as Sea World, as full members. While this effort was not successful at the time, it was eventually established; however, he was successful at getting professional staff at these private institutions membership as Fellow Members.
Bill has received several Association honors, including the President's Award, the Outstanding Service Award, and the Distinguished Service Award. Bill was the 1999 recipient of AZA’s highest honor, the R. Marlin Perkins Award.
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