Gary Myers, the long-time Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, will join some of the country’s most influential outdoors industry names when he is honored as Tennessee Outdoors Sportsman of the Year during the annual Legends of The Outdoors National Hall of Fame Banquet in Nashville.

"Mr. Myers is respected across the nation for the many forward-thinking projects he has been a part of to help manage wildlife and fish, including his participation in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan,” noted Gary Mason, founder of the Legends Hall of Fame. “Tennessee’s hunters and fishermen have been lucky to have him as a director of our state agency for many years.”

In addition to leading TWRA during a critical era of wildlife restoration that began for him as director almost 30 years, Myers was president of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in 1986 and has served on numerous national fish, wildlife, and boating committees throughout his career.

Among nationally known sportsmen entering the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame this year will be Tom Knapp, Jerry Martin, Jack Oliver, George Cochran, Preston Pittman, Wally Marshall, Jimmy Houston and Cris Houston—all famous among hunting and fishing enthusiasts.

The annual induction ceremony is set for Aug. 29 at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville.

“The Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be the 7th annual event, where men and women who have made an impact and considerable contributions to the outdoors and the outdoor industry are honored,” said Mason.

The hall of fame has been established to recognize those outdoor sportsmen and sportswomen who, through countless hours of hard work and devotion to the outdoors, in both hunting and fishing, have played an integral part in setting the standards and guidelines for the rest of the outdoor world to follow, according to Mason.

Mason, a long-time Kentucky Lake fishing and hunting guide, said he recognized a need to honor those who have contributed to the outdoor sports of hunting and fishing.

Mason put together a committee of outdoor writers and others to nominate individuals who have dedicated their lives to the outdoors. Thus, the Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame was created.

"The hall of fame induction banquet is unique and one of the only places on earth that I know of where you can meet people like Ray Scott, Hank Parker, Shaw Grigsby, Forrest L. Wood, Wade Bourne, Alex Rutledge and many other Legends of the Outdoors hall of Fame members and have an opportunity to visit with them one-on-one, get autographs and have photo opportunities with each of them,” said Mason.

The inductees of the Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame reads like a Who's-Who of some of the most well known outdoors personalities.

The doors of the Sheraton Convention Room will open at 5:00 P.M. for the pre-ceremony time of meet and greet, and as usual there will be a number of former Legends celebrities there to attend the festivities, said Mason.

A meal will be catered again this year at 6:30 P.M and the induction of the new Legends nominees will follow it. This year's guest entertainer will be country music entertainer Kevin Blake Weldon.

As in every Legends banquet in the past, the sponsors of the event will have displays inside and outside of the Convention Center with representatives of their companies on hand to provide information about the products displayed.

A silent and live auction will be a part of the induction ceremony. Many items will be auctioned, including a one-of-a-kind hand carved Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame duck decoy by Nebraska Master Wildlife Carver Ron Cleveland.

For tickets to the Legends ceremony, sponsorship information and to make reservations for a special discounted rate for lodging at the Sheraton Music City, contact: Garry Mason Legends of the Outdoors: 11020 Hwy 69-S Springville, TN 38256-5414. Or call: 731-593-0171, or email: grmason@aeneas.net.