On Monday, February 9, 2026, the St. Augustine City Commission will honor Gordon J. “Gordie” Wilson by presenting the de Avilés Award, one of the city's highest . The presentation will be held at 4:30pm in The Alcazar Room, City Hall, 75 King Street., just prior the City Commission’s regularly scheduled meeting which begins at 5:00pm. The presentation will be streamed live online, and it also will be available for on-demand viewing the following day.
Vice Mayor Barbara Blonder nominated Wilson stating, “Gordie is the embodiment of service to this community. He has demonstrated his dedication and commitment through his leadership and is undeniably respected and very deserving of this honor.”
Wilson spent more than 33 years with the National Park Service, serving in a senior leadership role at the Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monument where he was responsible for the overall operation of both parks. His responsibilities ranged from protecting historic and natural resources to long-range planning, visitor services, law enforcement, emergency response, maintenance, and education programs.
In his efforts to build strong partnerships and community relationships, Wilson worked closely with local, state, federal, tribal, academic, and international partners, including the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the University of Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida National Guard, and the St. Augustine Historical Society. He also played a key role in the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration, hosted two Spanish royal visits, and frequently represented the parks in the media and at public events.
Among many of his accomplishments, Wilson led the parks through several hurricane recovery efforts, improved safety operations and expanded the volunteer programs. Under his leadership, volunteer participation grew dramatically and the parks earned regional recognition for safety performance.
Beyond his role locally as Superintendent, Gordie was highly engaged at the regional and national levels of the National Park Service, serving on numerous leadership councils and advisory boards, leading operational review teams across the Southeast, and contributing extensively to law enforcement training.
For media inquiries, contact Melissa Wissel, Communications Director, at 904.293.3307 or via email at mwissel@citystaug.com.