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BACKGROUND
I was born in Cando, North Dakota and raised in Minot, North Dakota.
I graduated from Minot Model High School in 1968 and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree--Wildlife Management from Utah State University in 1972.
I have two children, Jason, who is assigned to the Naval Destroyer U.S.S. Rueben James, Pearl Harbor and Jamie of Denver, Colorado.
My fiance', Teresa Fisher has three children, Lisa of Atlanta, Georgia; Brad of Palmer, Alaska and Brian of Benton Harbor, Michigan.
WORK EXPERIENCES
Presently, I am retired from USDA and manage my 900 acres of farmland located in Morton and Sheridan Counties. I currently serve on local government boards and volunteer organizations.
Those activities include:
I was born in Cando, North Dakota and raised in Minot, North Dakota.
My mother, deceased, was born in Crary, North Dakota, and a graduate of Mayville State University and Minot State University. She spent 34 years as an elementary teacher in public and private education systems. All but one of those 34 years was in North Dakota.
My father, deceased, was born 13 miles south of Mandan, on the farm we now occupy. He retired after 33 years with the United States Department of Agriculture---all in North Dakota.
I graduated from Minot Model High School in 1968 and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree--Wildlife Management from Utah State University in 1972.
I have two children, Jason, who is assigned to the Naval Destroyer U.S.S. Rueben James, Pearl Harbor and Jamie of Denver, Colorado.
My fiance', Teresa Fisher has three children, Lisa of Atlanta, Georgia; Brad of Palmer, Alaska and Brian of Benton Harbor, Michigan.
WORK EXPERIENCES
Presently, I am retired from USDA and manage my 900 acres of farmland located in Morton and Sheridan Counties. I currently serve on local government boards and volunteer organizations.
Those activities include:
- President, North Dakota Association of Resource Conservation and Development (RCD) Councils-8 Councils with statewide coverage
- Board of Managers, Morton County Water Resource Board
- Board of Directors, Missouri West Water Systems
- Board member Morton County Soils Committee
- Council member, representing Morton County Commissioners, Dakota Prairies RCD
- Member North Dakota Republican Party
The 33 years experience with USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service/Soil Conservation Service focused on policy development and implementation to agriculture, community development and water resources. My experiences include, but are not limited to:
- Acting National Wetland Reserve Program Manager, USDA, Washington, D.C., managing $231 million dollar federal easement program
- Alaska--10 years managing all voluntary conservation programs for USDA-NRCS with emphasis on providing assistance to Alaska Natives throughout Alaska
- Washington State--11 years managing all USDA-SCS voluntary water resource programs focusing on local government and local leadership
- North Dakota--12 years managing voluntary water resource programs, community development program and easement programs
My “special” USDA-NRCS assignments center around U. S. Congressional Earmark Administration. I was responsible for recipient compliance to federal regulations and subsequent federal government reimbursement for expenditures and accomplishments via U. S. Congressional Earmarks. Those key earmarks are as follow:
- Devils Lake Joint Board Earmark--$1.3 million dollars to utilize water influencing Devils Lake elevation for center pivot irrigation systems--3 years
- Environmental and Energy Research Center, UND--$5.3 million dollars to EERC for the development of a hydrology model for Red River flooding titled the “Waffle”--5 years
- Alaska Conservation Districts--$3 million dollars to advance the development of Alaska’s Conservation Districts--3 years
- USDA Plant Materials Center--$650,000 for development of Alaska native plant species--2 years
