OCEAN CITY -- Shenanigan’s Irish Pub owner Greg Shockley was presented with the Paul Hazard Award at last week’s Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA) dinner meeting.

This award is special because it is not given annually, only when there is a deserving recipient. The award was last given out in 2005 to Amy Rothermel.  

The award, named after Hazard, one of the original OCHMRA members when the Association was reorganized in 1971. He was owner of the Stardust Motel (now the Hilton) and in 1973 he was elected the third president of the association, but due to his untimely death, unable to serve.  The OCHMRA Board of Directors voted to pay tribute to him by establishing this award in his name to honor a member of the association who not only served the group but was an outstanding citizen in the community as well. There have only been 18 recipients in OCHMRA’s 41-year existence.

Shockley was chosen for his ability to create a spirit of cooperation. He was a founding member of the Boardwalk Development Association, implementing $5 million in Boardwalk improvements. He was later president of the Ocean City Development Corporation and the OCHMRA. During his OCHMRA presidency, he helped conceive performance-based funding for tourism advertising through a dedication of visitor generated room tax.

He has also served on the Restaurant Association of Maryland Board and is currently chairman of the Maryland Tourism Development Board. Finally, he was named chair of the Tourism Advisory Board for his ability to create a spirit of cooperation and shared vision.

“He is truly an outstanding citizen to our local community and most deserving of this prestigious honor,” said 2001 recipient Annemarie Dickerson, co-owner Francis Scott Key Motel.