OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE VERSUS CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSION MEMBERS.

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ODFW COMMISSION MEMBERS:

Michael Finley
1521 Nottingham Circle
Medford, OR 97504
odfw.commission@state.or.us
Chair of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission

Western Oregon
Appointment Effective: June 30, 2011
Term Expires 6/30/3019 – Extended
Michael Finley is the former President of the Turner Foundation, a private grant-making foundation that supports hundreds of grassroots, national and international organizations. Before joining the Turner Foundation, he spent 32 years with the National Park Service. During his career, Finley was Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park for 6.5 years and also served as Superintendent of Yosemite and Everglades National Parks and Assateague Island National Seashore. He directly managed hunting and fishing activities on National Park Service lands and waters in Alaska, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, California, Montana and Wyoming. He was also a commissioned law enforcement ranger and investigator for 10 years. Finley hunts and fishes, and is passionate about public recreation.

Bruce Buckmaster
PO Box 238
Astoria, OR 97103
odfw.commission@state.or.us

Congressional District 1
Appointment Effective: June 1, 2015
Term Expires: Aug. 31, 2019
Bruce Buckmaster is the retired owner and CEO of Bio-Oregon, Inc. Bio-Oregon introduced low phosphorus (less polluting) hatchery feeds to ensure compliance with clean water statutes and initiated fish-based nutrient supplementation to aid wild salmon recovery in Oregon rivers and streams. Bio-Oregon was one of Oregon’s largest secondary recyclers reclaiming value from 35-40 million pounds of on-shore fish processing waste annually. Now active as a community advocate and avid fly fisher, Bruce spends much of his time working on issues of stewardship and equitable use of natural resources.

Jill E. Zarnowitz
Sisters, OR
East of the Cascades
Appointment Effect: July 1, 2019
Term Expires: June 30, 2023

Congressional District 1

In 1988, Jill came to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and over the next 21 years she held prominent positions as the Agency’s lead on water policy (program manager), assistant division administrator and nine years as Assistant Director (Administrator) in its Habitat Division. Accomplishments during her career include developing the first ODFW instream water right rules, applying for instream water rights, overseeing ODFW’s involvement in removing Savage Rapids Dam, reviewing major hydroelectric relicensing, wind energy, State Forest plans, and mining projects, among others. Jill retired from ODFW in 2009. Jill and her husband, Mark, raised a daughter, now age 23. They currently operate a vineyard and wine business in Yamhill, Oregon.

Jim Bittle
3248 Green Acres Dr.
Central Point OR 97502
odfw.commission@state.or.us

Congressional District 2
Appointment Effective: Dec. 19, 2016
Term Expires: Dec. 18, 2020
James Bittle is the President and current owner of Willie Boats Inc., a custom all-welded aluminum boat manufacturer, located in Southern Oregon. For over 32 years, Jim has actively managed Willie Boats Inc., which is dedicated to provide sound employment for more than 25 employees. Jim’s vast knowledge of the outdoor industry has influenced numerous habitat conservation projects and allowed him to support associations such as the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), who are devoted to improving the management of our natural resources throughout the western states and Alaska. Raised in the Rogue Valley, Jim has continued to serve his community through efforts benefiting children and veterans, with organizations such as, Hearts With A Mission and Interfaith Care Community. Jim is committed to sharing his passion for the outdoors and ensuring its preservation for his grandchildren and future generations to come.

Gregory J. Wolley
City of Portland
1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Room 750
Portland, OR 97201
odfw.commission@state.or.us

Congressional District 3
Appointment Effective: June 1, 2012
Term Expires: 5/31/2020
Gregory Wolley is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, and has lived in Portland for the past for 24 years. He currently manages small business development programs for the City of Portland. Greg has previously worked as a forest planner and conservation education manager for the US Forest Service, a regional open space planner for Metro Regional Parks and Greenspaces, and a preserve manager for The Nature Conservancy. He received his B.A. degree in behavioral biology from UC Berkeley, and an M.S. Degree in natural resource education from Southern Oregon University. Greg has served on numerous boards and advisory committees, including the Northwest Association of Environmental Professionals, the City of Portland Urban Forestry Commission, and parks and natural areas planning committees for Multnomah and Los Angeles counties. Greg’s passion is introducing new audiences to activities and careers in the outdoors. He enjoys many outdoor activities, including fishing, backpacking and kayaking.He lives with his family in the Grant Park neighborhood of Portland.

Mary Wahl
Langlois, OR
Congressional District 4
Appointment Effective: May 15, 2019
Term Expires: May 14, 2023

Congressional District 4

Mary and her siblings are 4th generation ranch owners on Oregon’s south coast. She managed the Watershed Services program for the City of Portland for a decade, and managed toxics cleanup programs for Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality before that. She has a BA in Education from OSU, and a Masters from Harvard University.

Mary retired from her work in Portland to focus on Oregon’s south coast conservation efforts. Her current work is conserving Oregon’s land base for agriculture and habitat, integration of conservation and ranch operations, and protecting one of Oregon’s last coastal old growth forest watersheds. She is currently on the board of the Wild Rivers Land Trust, and served as the Kalmiopsis Audubon Society’s representative on ODFW’s Conservation and Management Plan advisory group.

Robert (Bob) Spelbrink
Siletz, OR
Congressional District 5
Appointment Effect: May 15, 2019
Term Expires: May 15, 2020

Congressional District 5

Bob Spelbrink is a lifelong Oregonian, recently retired (2015) Dungeness crab fisherman and an active Oregon licensed salmon sport fishing guide. He has fished and crabbed in offshore waters from California to Alaska and also holds a 100-ton Coast Guard license. He received a degree in Business from Oregon State University and was then commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, later serving in both the Oregon National Guard and Army Reserve before his honorable discharge with the rank of Captain. Spelbrink has previously worked in advisory capacities with OFDW on a variety of both commercial and recreational fishery and crabbing issues, including as the Tri-State Dungeness Crab Commission delegate and ODFW Dungeness Crab adviser representing the Newport fleet. He also worked with ODFW on development of the Yaquina Basin Fish Management Plan, Cascade Head Marine Reserve, and the recent Coastal Fish Management Plan (CMP) for the mid coast region.

Mark Labhart
Sisters, OR
East of the Cascades
Appointment Effect: July 1, 2019
Term Expires: June 30, 2023
Mark Labhart is a former Tillamook County Commissioner where he served for 12 years. Prior to that he worked for the Oregon Department of Forestry for 34 years with 20 years as the Manager of a majority of the Tillamook State Forest. He was an Incident Commander on one of Oregon Fire Teams for 11 years. He has served terms on the Fish Restoration & Enhancement Board, the STEP Advisory Committee, the Oregon Hatchery Research Center and the ODF&W External Budget Advisory Committee. He chaired the Legislative Task force to find alternate funding sources for ODF&W. Labhart sits on the OSU Sea Grant Advisory Committee as well as the OSU Extension Statewide Advisory Committee. He was a founding member of the Salmon Super Highway Project that looks to restore salmon access to tributaries in Tillamook County. He was chosen as Tillamook County’s Citizen of the Year and volunteer of the year previously and Forester of the Year for Oregon by the Society of American Foresters. His passion is fly fishing in the central Oregon lakes and deer and elk hunting. He and his wife moved to Sisters to be closer to children and especially their grandchildren.

NOW, THESE ARE FOLKS WITH SOLID ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL BACKGROUNDS IN THE FIELD OF FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGY WHO ARE *****QUALIFIED***** TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT, DUH... FISH AND F***ING WILDLIFE!

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