Charlotte-born Ron McManus has had Grand Strand sand in his shoes and fishing in his heart since 1957.

The North Myrtle Beach retiree has done anything but retire since 1994, serving on the executive board of the North Myrtle Beach chamber of commerce and putting the local Jim Caudle Artificial Reef on the nautical map.

Recognized this year with an Environmental Awareness Certificate of Excellence by the State of South Carolina, McManus was applauded for “enhancing and conserving the marine environment in the North Myrtle Beach area,” and building up a bustling reef by running hugely successful fundraisers like the Dixie Chicken Funament and the Flounder Frenzie tournament.

“We named the foundation and reef after my good friend Jim Caudle who passed away,” explains McManus. “Everyone knew Jim. He was an expert fisherman. The tournaments take up where Jim left off. He’d always say, ‘If you’re not having fun, why do it?’”

Before McManus got involved with the reef site, it was overlooked for development and one of the most underutilized on the coast. Now, the Jim Caudle Artificial Reef is one of the largest and the single-most-visited in the state. Not only does that make it a North Strand point of pride, it also equates to a $20-million economic boon, reeled in from anglers and boating enthusiasts.

From an ecological stance, the reef is thriving, sustainable, and stable, attracting communities of fish to its plankton-rich feeding grounds and protective coral.

“I had no idea how big this would all get … I just wanted to fish,” chuckles Ron. “Condos were going up all over Little River and Cherry Grove, so, I thought, why not start building condos for the fish, too?”