Mashantucket - Steve Coan, president and chief executive of the Sea Research Foundation that runs Mystic Aquarium, was heralded Wednesday night at Foxwoods Resort Casino as a man who works tirelessly to ensure people from all walks of life get a chance to enjoy the wonders of the ocean.

More than 400 people celebrated Coan's designation by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut as the winner of this year's William Crawford Distinguished Service Award. The award, named after the late president and general manager of Southeastern Connecticut Broadcasting Corp. that operated WSUB radio for many years, is presented to a member of the community who represents the spirit of service and contributes to the region's quality of life - and the honor is not handed out every year, but only when a good candidate emerges.

"Steve has helped to restore the health and revitalize our institution that serves to enlighten, educate and inspire more children and their parents to the joys of our ocean world," said Susette Tibus, a Mystic Aquarium trustee and owner with husband Chuck Sneddon of Simply Majestic jewelers in Mystic, in prepared remarks. "He continues to help build an organization where everyone can make a contribution, where everybody counts - an organization that will continue to change the world."

Tibus described Coan as a humble man with a generous spirit and positive attitude.

"Today, the Mystic Aquarium has never been better positioned to grow its annual multimillion-dollar contribution to our community's and the state's economy," Tibus said. "Every one of us benefits from this success."

But, as The Day's publisher Gary Farrugia remarked at Wednesday's celebration in the Grand Pequot Tower Ballroom, success came only because of the passion and devotion of Coan. Early in his tenure in 2008, the aquarium faced serious financial problems - including mountains of debt that it had to restructure after a major expansion - an issue that Coan met head on, Farrugia said.

Peter Glankoff, former head of marketing and public affairs for Sea Research Foundation, said Coan was equally proactive about improving the guest experience at the tourist attraction, which brings nearly a quarter of a million people to Mystic annually.

"Steve Coan cares - even when he's kicking your butt," Glankoff said.

Coan has focused on educational needs in his time at the aquarium and has worked closely with organizations that help out special-needs children. He also has been a major contributor to building the Greater Mystic Visitors Bureau as it works to market attractions in the region.

"He is an educator, a visionary and most of all he's a leader who gets things done," said George Milne, chairman of the Sea Research Foundation board and former president of Pfizer Central Research.

Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, said one of Coan's key attributes is a compassion for others as shown when the Mashantucket-owned Foxwoods fell on hard times. Coan, he said, was one of the few people to reach out and ask how he was doing and to assure him that things would be OK.

"Steve's a good man," Butler said. "There's no better way to put it."

l.howard@theday.com

Twitter: @KingstonLeeHow