Wes Stewart named 2016 SEAFWA Wildlife Officer of the Year

BATON ROUGE – Oct. 19, 2016 – The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agenciesnamed Willard E. “Wes” Stewart the 2016 Colonel Bob Brantley Wildlife Officer of the Year at their annual meeting in Baton Rouge this week. Stewart is a private first class conservation officer for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

W. Matthew Knox named 2016 SEAFWA Wildlife Biologist of the Year.

BATON ROUGE – Oct. 19, 2016 – The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies named W. Matthew Knox the 2016 Wildlife Biologist of the Year at their annual meeting in Baton Rouge this week. Knox is the deer project co-leader for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF).

John Fischer named C. W. Watson Award winner

BATON ROUGE – Oct. 19, 2016 – The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies named John Fischer, DVM, Ph.D. of Athens, Georgia the 2016 C. W. Watson Award winner at their annual meeting in Baton Rouge this week. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the Association.

Dennis Riecke named 2016 SEAFWA Fisheries Biologist of the Year

BATON ROUGE – Oct. 19, 2016 – The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) named Dennis Riecke the 2016 Fisheries Biologist of the Year at their annual meeting in Baton Rouge this week. Riecke is a fisheries biologist for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

Beginning October 1, 2016, Rusty Garrison began serving as the Director of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.  

J.D. Strong, executive director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and former Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment, was selected by the eight-member Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission to serve as the new Director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

LITTLE ROCK – Commissioners unanimously approved Jeff Crow as director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at today’s monthly meeting.

Crow, AGFC chief of staff, will assume the role of director July 1. He will replace Mike Knoedl, who is retiring after 31 years with the agency. Crow will be the agency’s 17th director in its 101-year history.  

Governor John Bel Edwards has appointed former Congressman Charlie Melancon, a native of Napoleonville, La., as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Secretary Melancon replaces Robert Barham who previously served as the Department’s Secretary since 2008.

The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies named Herman Todd Holbrook of Conyers, Georgia the 2015 C. W. Watson Award winner at their annual meeting in Ashville this week. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the Association.

“Todd Holbrook has proven himself a highly productive wildlife resource manager at all levels from field biologist to deputy commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources,” said SEAFWA President Bob Ziehmer. “In addition to the services rendered in Georgia, his involvement with human dimensions research has left a lasting impact on wildlife management throughout the nation.” 

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The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies named Leith Konyndyk the 2015 Wildlife Officer of the Year at their annual meeting in Ashville this week. Konyndyk is a conservation officer for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

“Each state submits their officer of the year for consideration as the regional officer of the year, and these individuals are all deserving of recognition and appreciation,” SEAFWA President Bob Ziehmer said. “Konyndyk is certainly not only a great asset for his department, but also for the hunters, anglers and boaters that recreate throughout Tennessee.” 

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