At this year’s annual Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce dinner held last week, the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Brighton artist Michael Glenn Monroe. He is known nationally for his award-winning wildlife paintings and prints and children’s book illustrations.

Monroe says he “was totally surprised and honored to get the Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizen of the Year award. Monroe was also recognized at the dinner by the State of Michigan, the citation presented by Congressman Mike Bishop and Senator Joe Hume. Monroe received a stylish trophy and citations by the state legislature.

Monroe has won a number of awards: he was the winner of the Federal Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year award in 2000, also the Michigan Wildlife Artist of the Year, the Michigan Duck stamp award and Minnesota Deer Hunters Artist of the Year award. Monroe has also illustrated many children’s books authored by his wife, Colleen. The book “A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree” has been read on television by Katie Couric and Mitch Albom. Monroe was chosen in 2002 to paint the official Easter Egg of Michigan, which represented the state in a White House display.

Another honor was being chosen to paint the 2007 Holiday for the White House and the Friends and Family Christmas bulb that were personally given away by President and Mrs. George W. Bush, resulting in an invitation to visit the White House with his family. His illustrating work has won him many awards, including Best Children’s Book 2006 from the Writer’s Notes Magazine, for his book A is for Art, Noah’s Journey. (TT)