Dade Whitney Thornton was a noted naturalist, conservationist, fishing journalist, tournament coordinator, IGFA Representative, and one of big game fishing's best known ambassadors. Born in New York City, Thornton was a resident of Miami, Florida for 50 years. Always active in the community, he was deeply involved in The Boy Scouts of America throughout his life, was a founder of both the Miami Museum of Science and Natural History and Everglades National Park, and served as President and Chairman of the Board for the Florida Audubon Society for 15 years. A portrait photographer by profession, Thornton put together his first photo album for a Bimini tuna tournament in 1957. That was the beginning of the almost 40 years he devoted to organizing, writing about, photographing, and documenting big game fishing tournaments in the world's finest fishing destinations. Dade Thornton was multi-talented and flamboyant, an accomplished musician and cook who could be found at various times wrestling alligators, organizing wheelbarrow races, catching poisonous snakes, or chanting to the "fish gods" when the fishing action was slow. During his career he wrote more than 1,000 articles for outdoor publications and served as sportfishing editor for Southern Boating magazine. In January 1998, Thornton was awarded the prestigious IGFA Elwood K. Harry Fellowship Award for his lifetime achievements in the sport of fishing and conservation, and in April 1998 he was recognized by the Chub Cay Club for his 25 years of service there. That same year, thousands of photographs, negatives, personal notes, articles, and tournament newsletters became part of IGFA's archives, ensuring that the Dade Thornton Collection will continue to educate and entertain many future generations.