The eminent British short-wave listener Geoff Watts was the founder and long-term editor (1962-1982) of The DX News Sheet, and in 1964 Geoff Watts created the IOTA (Islands-On-The-Air) Award, and he administrated it until 1985.
In 1985 he passed everything over to the RSGB because of the illness of his XYL Marjorie who died in 1990. Since then he became again interested in IOTA.

Directory of islands for the Islands-On-The-Air Award
(One of Goeff Watts's directories)

When IOTA was taken over by the RSGB in 1985 it had already become, for several hams and SWLs a favorite award. Its popularity grows each year and it is highly regarded among amateurs world-wide.

He also published the DXCC Countries Guide and the Radio Amateurs Prefix Country Zone List.

Geoff was the first SWL to receive confirmations from all 40 CQ Zones in 1958, the first British SWL with 300 countries confirmed and was #1 on the SWL DXCC Honor Roll for many years. For his efforts as editor, inventing the IOTA Programme and many other services to the DX community, Geoff Watts was elected to the CQ DX Hall of Fame in 1977, the only non-licensed amateur ever to be so honored. Geoff Watts passed away in 1994.

Thanks to Martin, G3ZAI for the pictures.