MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is pleased to announce that natural resource professional and hunter-conservationist Chuck Roady is the new chairman of its Board of Directors.

“I am honored to have been selected by my fellow board members to lead a national organization of the great reputation of RMEF that is made up of such an incredibly dedicated group of volunteers, members and employees,” said Roady. “I visualize very exciting times for our organization as we move forward to keep promoting the mission that we all believe in and trying to build on all we have accomplished in the first 30 years.”

Roady succeeds Lee Swanson as the 17th chairman to lead RMEF. The new board members are Scott Chester, T.W. Garrett, Eric Johnson, Fred Lekse, Diana Rupp and Bob Wellman.

“The new leadership and diverse experience of our board will provide RMEF with invaluable wisdom and direction,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “Chuck himself brings a lot to the table. He spent his entire life and professional career involved in managing our natural resources.”

Roady is vice president and general manager of F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Company in Columbia Falls, Mont. He has worked in the forest products industry for almost four decades across Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. He also has experience with land acquisition and exchanges, conservation projects, government affairs and managing private timberlands.

Roady’s goals include continuing RMEF’s focus of securing access to public and private lands for people to hunt and enjoy wildlife. He also wants to maintain an active role for RMEF in national and regional policies that impact conservation as well as building on the recruitment, engagement and retention of youth in our hunting heritage, wildlife conservation and the active management of all our natural resources.

“It never ceases to amaze and motivate me whenever I attend any RMEF function anywhere in this great nation, that I continually witness a close family culture, a patriotic attitude and a deep dedication of our membership to do not only what is best for elk and wildlife, but what is best for our country,” added Roady.

When Roady is not at his job, he and his wife Gayla enjoy spending their free time living, working and recreating in the forests of western Montana and northern Idaho.

New RMEF board member bios:

Scott Chester  (Laurel, Mont.)

•           Co-owner & president of CMG Construction & associated companies

•           RMEF Life Member, past District Chair, Bronze Habitat Partner, past Beartooth Chapter committee member, Presidents Council

•           Board member of Full Draw Youth Camps

T.W. Garrett  (Cleveland, Texas)

•           Retired geologist, Exxon Mobil Corporation and timber land owner

•           RMEF Life Member, Sponsor Member, Habitat Council

•           Mayor of Plum Grove, Texas

•           Volunteer Board Chairman of Health Center of Southeast Texas Non-Profit Health Care Centers & Board Vice-Chairman of Discover Life in America Non-Profit

Eric Johnson  (Jackson, Wyo. & Los Altos, Calif.)

•           BS in Wildlife Management University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point

•           Software engineer at various Silicon Valley companies

•           RMEF Life Member, Habitat Partner, Habitat Council, Jackson Hole Chapter committee member

Fred Lekse  (Charlotte, N.C.)

•           President of Kevin Harvick, Inc.

•           Board member and treasurer of Kevin Harvick Foundation

•           RMEF Life Member, Habitat Council, President’s Council, Development Committee

•           Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation – Chairman’s Club

Diana Rupp  (Torrance, Calif.)

•           Editor in chief of Sports Afield magazine

•           Editor and writer for a variety of national and regional outdoor publications

•           Book author

•           RMEF Life Member, committee member

Bob Wellman  (Chewelah, Wash.)

•           Retired commercial lender & branch manager of Bank of America and American West Bank

•           RMEF Life Member, past RMEF Board member, Vice Chair, Finance Committee chair, Habitat Council

•           President of N.E. Washington Health Programs Governing Board

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:

Founded over 30 years ago, fueled by hunters and a membership of more than 205,000 strong, RMEF has conserved more than 6.6 million acres for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America’s hunting heritage. Discover why “Hunting Is Conservation™” at www.rmef.org or 

800-CALL ELK.