World Archaeological Conference Presentation
In June 2025, ACI Chief Archaeologist, Lee Hutchinson, traveled to Darwin, Australia and attended the World Archaeological Conference (WAC). While there, she presented a paper titled “Holocene Coastal Adaptations to Climate Change in the Southeastern United States” alongside Nancy Marie White and Richard A. Weinstein. The presentation detailed how data from shell midden sites along the northern and eastern Gulf of Mexico indicates extensive prehistoric Native American habitation and adaptation to warming climates and sea-level rise over the past 8,000 years.
Awards and Accolades
Awards and Accolades
The over 40 years of successful cultural resource service by Archaeological Consultants, Inc., is a result of our professional integrity, client first philosophy, and skillful knowledge in navigating our clients through the complex review and compliance process for local, state, and federal agencies. We are humbled and thankful for all of the awards and accolades we have received. There are details below of just some of these appreciated acknowledgements.
2024 FAS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
In May 2025, ACI CEO and Founding Principal, Marion Almy, was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Anthropological Society for her contributions to Florida archaeology during her career.
Marion Almy accepts the award from Dave Baber, President of Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation.
ACI founding Principal and CEO, Marion Almy, received the 2024 Sarasota County Heritage Award in Archaeological Conservancy.
This award recognizes her outstanding efforts to preserve and document prehistoric sites in Sarasota County and the Tampa Bay region, for decades of effective advocacy for archaeological conservation and historic preservation in Florida and her effectiveness in advancing archaeological preservation with national, local, and state government agencies, including the Florida Department of Transportation and Florida Division of Historical Resources.
ACI PART OF AN AWARDED TEAM
The City of St. Augustine was recognized in two award categories by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation at the Florida Secretary of State Awards and Florida Preservation Awards in 2021. Archaeological Consultants, Inc., and a collaboration team consisting of Taylor Engineering, Place Economics, Marquis, Latimer, Halback, Inc., and The Craig Group, were awarded for the City of St. Augustine’s project, Resilient Heritage in America’s Oldest City.
This report was recognized for Outstanding Achievement in the Resilient Preservation category. The results of this study outline best practices for resiliency strategies that can be used in historic districts nationwide. The comprehensive final document identifies methods for prioritizing archaeological sites threatened by rising seas, outlines the economic impacts of previous and future flooding events and recommends potential solutions such as mitigation strategies and policy revisions. Having city-wide vulnerability assessments, adaptation strategies and mitigation planning for flooding and sea level rise are valuable sources of information for the City’s policymakers and the community’s property owners. [From the City of St. Augustine, Civic Press]
ACI FOUNDER RECEIVES FLORIDA TRUST AWARD
In May of 2018, Marion Almy received the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Evelyn Fortune Bartlett Award, the state’s most prestigious award, bestowed on an individual, whose life exemplifies the guardianship of Florida’s historic properties through philosophy and action.
FROM THE FLORIDA TRUST PRESS RELEASE: Marion Almy has dedicated her professional life to the documentation, assessment, and preservation of both prehistoric and historic resources. A native of Sarasota, Marion is founding principal and President of Archaeological Consultants, Inc., (ACI) a cultural resources management firm. ACI holds the distinction of working as part of the mitigation team to document the decommissioning of NASA’s space shuttle program, specifically Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and associated launch complexes. Furthermore, as Principal Investigator for her firm, Marion has worked extensively with state and federal agencies to conduct surveys and excavations for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and undertakings that require compliance with Chapter 267 of the Florida Statutes. In addition to private sector work, Marion is experienced in facilitating the coordination of historic preservation issues and Florida’s growth management legislation through her tenure on local and regional planning boards and historical commissions. She also regularly engages with the public by attending community workshops and events. At present time, Marion continues to chair the Florida Historical Commission and serve on the Florida National Register Review Board. As an archaeologist with an acute sense of architectural history, she is uniquely positioned to be an effective advocate for all cultural resources of Florida.
ACI has been the recipient of awards from
U.S. Small Business Administration’s Award of Excellence
- in recognition of outstanding contributions and service for work at the Kennedy Space Center on behalf of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
NASA Environmental Quality Group Award
- one of NASA’s Environmental and Energy Blue Marble Awards, in recognition for environmental leadership and helping NASA reach Constellation Program goals.
Kennedy Space Center
- in recognition of contributions to “the successful operations of preserving our environment, conserving or energy, and reserving our natural resources while reaching for the stars.”
