2009 Public Official of the Year

• Governor O'Malley was selected as one of Governing Magazine's Public Officials of the Year in 2009. O'Malley was the only governor to receive the designation.
• "Underneath O'Malley's 'stat' talk is a deeper view about how to effect change in the public sector. Whether the issue is education, public safety or economic development, O'Malley says, the problems are complex and the bureaucracies are fragmented. In his view, government won't improve unless leaders dissect the interrelations between different agencies and hold them accountable for meeting measurable goals." - Governing Magazine, November 2009
• 
  More information.

2010 Bio Governor of the Year

• Governor O'Malley was recognized this year for his outstanding leadership in growing and promoting Maryland's biotechnology industry. The award was presented by Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) CEO Jim Greenwood and Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board (LSAB) Chairman H. Thomas Watkins.

America's Greatest Education Governor

• This year, Governor O'Malley was named "American's Greatest Education Governor," by the National Education Association for his commitment to protecting and advancing our public schools so that every child in Maryland can receive a world class education.  
• NEA President Dennis Van Roekel explained, "Governor O’Malley is a strong advocate for public education.  He has made great strides in improving school funding, expanding school programs, and taking the needs of the whole child into account in education policy decisions. He continues to be a champion of public education and truly believes, as we do, that education will lead to a brighter and better future for all of us.  Lots of governors like to think of themselves as education governors, but Governor O’Malley has really earned that accolade.”

Sportsmen's Best Friend of the Year

The Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Foundation (MLSF) presented Governor Martin O'Malley with its prestigious Sportsmen's Best Friend of the Year Award at its 7th Annual Banquet and Auction in 2008.

• The Foundation selected Governor O'Malley as the recipient of the award to recognize his leadership on environmental issues critical to Maryland's sportsmen and women. "Look at the Governor's record," said Senator John Astle, Democratic Co-Chair of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus. "He stands with the sportsmen of Maryland on all fronts, meaning he wants what we want and he goes after them. Enactment of the 2010 Trust Fund, a fully-funded Program Open Space, compliance with a financial commitment to the recreational fishing community, rebuilding of the Bay's beleaguered blue crab population, promotion of fishing habitat and oyster reefs through the Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative, advocacy for sustainable forestry and a strengthened Critical Areas law, just to name a few."
• Republican Co-Chair of the Caucus, Delegate Richard B. Weldon, Jr. echoed Senator Astle's sentiments."When it comes to the traditional rights of sportsmen to hunt, fish and trap, there are no partisan boundaries," Delegate Weldon said. "We all want available open space land in which to hunt and a clean watershed in which to fish. And, in the final analysis, we're all conservationists which need to stand together. I commend the Foundation for its decision to honor Governor O'Malley as the Foundation's Sportsmen's Best Friend of the Year.

Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence Advocacy Award

• Governor O'Malley and Lt. Governor Brown were honored by the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence for their work during the 2009 legislative session to remove firearms from the hands of domestic abusers. The legislation passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor provides judges with an additional tool to ensure the safety of Maryland's families by granting them authority to remove weapons from homes early during domestic violence proceedings.

CBF Honors Governor O'Malley for His Leadership

In October 2009, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) recognized Governor O'Malley for his leadership on environmental issues. The Governor was honored at the CBF Board of Trustees meeting. Among other accomplishments, CBF recognized O'Malley for:

• BayStat: Through an Executive Order in 2007, the Governor created this rigorous accounting program for state agencies to ensure progress is being made in restoring the Bay. Recognizing the importance of coordination and frequent assessment of restoration efforts, the Obama administration incorporated the BayStat approach in the recent draft Executive Order reports on Federal Bay Restoration efforts in a program called ChesapeakeStat.
• Environmental Education/Children in Nature: The Governor has positioned Maryland as the nation's leader on environmental education. In 2008, the Governor issued an Executive Order creating the Partnership for Children in Nature. The Governor tasked the partnership with creating an environmental literacy plan for Maryland students, increasing opportunities for structured outdoor learning in state parks, and ensuring the environmental literacy of students that graduate from Maryland schools.

2009 World Stem Cell National Leadership Award

• Since taking office, Governor O'Malley has spearheaded a number of strategic investments in Maryland's bioscience industry. In addition to creating a Life Sciences Advisory Board, the Governor launched the BIO 2020 initiative, a 10-year, $1.3 billion strategy for moving Maryland's bioscience industry forward. Under Governor O'Malley's leadership, Maryland's major research parks, including the University of Maryland, Baltimore BioPark, the Science and Technology Park in East Baltimore and the Montgomery College/Germantown Science and Technology Park, have undergone significant expansion. In addition, the State has attracted, or assisted in launch or expansion, of more than 50 bioscience companies in the last two years, including Aeras Global, OpGen, Life Technologies, Biomere, Akonni Biosystems and Emergent Biosolutions, creating or retaining an estimated 1,800 jobs.

Good Jobs First Ranks Maryland #1

• The paramount objective of the Recovery Act is to address mounting unemployment through job creation and retention. Yet only four states—Colorado, Maryland, Washington and West Virginia—currently provide any employment data for individual projects on their main ARRA site.

Maryland Ranks First for Clean Water Infrastructure Funding

• The Congressional Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has ranked Maryland 1st out of 50 States and the District of Columbia for implementing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act clean water infrastructure funding.

ESRI President's Award for Use of Technology

• Governor Martin O'Malley accepted the award on behalf of state employees for their work using geographic information system (GIS) technology to manage government. Among its many successes with GIS, in 2008, the state of Maryland had the second-largest reduction in the homicide rate since 1985. It also decreased wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles from 61 minutes in July 2007 to 30 minutes in April 2009.
• More information.

NASCIO National Technology Champion Award

• The National Technology Champion Award is given every Spring to an individual who has greatly contributed to information technology in the public sector who promotes technology and good governance. Governor O'Malley was honored for his innovations in government, including the nationally recognized StateStat program, a performance evaluation and management tool for state government. In addition, Governor O'Malley has championed technological innovations including GreenPrint, AgPrint, BayStat, and RecoveryStat to increase the level of transparency, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness in state government.

Climate Action Network "Climate Hero Award"

• CCAN's Climate Leadership Award is presented annually to individuals and organizations in Maryland who have exhibited exceptional leadership in fighting global warming through clean, efficient energy.

Maryland Washington Minority Contractors Association, "Most Distinguished Leader of the Year for Minority Business Enterprise" Award, 2007 and 2010

• Governor Martin O'Malley accepted the award on behalf of state employees for their work using geographic information system (GIS) technology to manage government. Among its many successes with GIS, in 2008, the state of Maryland had the second-largest reduction in the homicide rate since 1985. It also decreased wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles from 61 minutes in July 2007 to 30 minutes in April 2009.

Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service

• Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars presented Governor O'Malley with the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service, a prestigious award presented by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore. Governor O'Malley is being recognized for his dedication to strengthening his community, his state, and his country as Mayor of Baltimore.

• The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, established by the U.S. Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the living, national memorial to the United States' 28th president. The Center is one of three American institutions (along with the National Gallery of Art and the Kennedy Center) created by congressional statute to perform a national mission within the Smithsonian Institution and is governed by its own independent Board of Trustees appointed by the U.S. President.

• Full speech with video.

Keystone Center Leadership in Government Award

• Governor O'Malley received the Leadership in Government Award from the Keystone Center for his drive to initiate positive, ground-breaking change in energy and environmental policy. Over 400 people were present at the 15th Annual Leadership dinner to honor those individuals who have shown a sense of vision, a capacity to bring about change and have contributed to society in ways that reflect the spirit and mission of The Keystone Center.

Governor O'Malley Earns A- for Environmental Record

• The Maryland League of Conservation Voters awarded Governor O'Malley an A- in its Gubernatorial Mid-Term Report Card. This is the highest score the conservation watchdog group has ever given a governor, and the first-ever A grade, since the Maryland League of Conservation Voters began issuing governor's report cards in 1997.