Rick O’Connor Named Jessica Bibza Partner of the Year

Pensacola and Perdido Bay Estuary Program named Escambia Extension and Sea Grant Agent Rick O’Connor as the Jessica Bibza Partner of the Year.

PPBEP remembers Jessica Bibza as being akin to the Energizer Bunny, she just kept going and going. Jessica dedicated her life to environmental conservation, ranging from Gulf Coast restoration to manatee research and awareness campaigns to environmental policy. The Jessica Bibza Partner of the Year Award recognizes the outstanding dedication and passion of one individual who has had an immeasurable impact on our community by bringing people together to ensure a better future for all.

The 2025 Jessica Bibza Partner of the Year Award is presented to Rick O’Connor. Rick O’Connor is someone who embodies the same Energizer Bunny spirit as Jessica. Whether it’s bringing together community partners, leading citizen science initiatives, giving a presentation, getting people out in the field, or supporting a partner’s work—Rick is there. His presence in the community is felt deeply because of his unwavering dedication and passion for environmental stewardship. He’s also the kind of person who brings others into the conversation and has, time and again, advocated for the Estuary Program and helped connect us with opportunities to make a difference.

Rick has been involved with the Estuary Program since the very beginning, and we’ve had the privilege of working alongside him for many years. He leads a wide range of initiatives and is always lending his expertise—and his time—to others. Rick and our Executive Director, Matt Posner, have often joked about learning to say no. It’s gotten to the point our team has preempted him from saying yes, because yes he’s already doing more than enough but also because we’d like to see his sailboat finally get out of the slip.

One thing we’ve always appreciated about Rick is how intently he listens and how direct his responses are. Even when the answer is “I don’t know,” it’s almost always followed by, “...but I’m going to find out and get back to you.” That kind of humility and follow-through is rare—and invaluable.

On a personal note from Matt Posner, one of the primary reasons Matt got into this field was because of Rick, and his mentorship when Matt was a student at Washington High School. While it took Matt a while to not call him Mr. O’Connor, his passion for hands-on, immersive education has never wavered, reaching thousands of students both with his time at Washington.

Despite his tireless work and dependability, Rick never seeks recognition. And that’s exactly why we’re proud to recognize him. For his dedication, generosity, and impact on this community, Rick O’Connor has earned the 2025 Jessica Bibza Partner of the Year Award.