Conservation Director

Member of FMR staff since: May 1998

Duties: Oversees all of the activities of the Land Conservation Program. Works with public and private landowners and partnering conservation organizations to protect ecologically important natural areas. Grants manager.

Education: Doctorate in Public Administration, Hamline University; M.A. Public Administration, Hamline University; B.S. Outdoor Education, Northland College

Professional experience: Prior to joining FMR, Tom worked in the Office of Planning at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and at Carpenter Nature Center, where he served as Senior Naturalist and Volunteer Coordinator.

Family: Married, three children (and the entire family enjoys the outdoors, with preferences ranging from canoeing to camping and birding).

Quote: “I’ve lived close to the Mississippi River my whole life.”

FMR accomplishments most proud of:

• Having led the conservation program from its infancy to the point where the program is now very well respected by landowners and the conservation community.
• Hiring Karen Schik. “She’s a large part of the success we have enjoyed.”
• Our role in establishing the Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area.

Hobbies: Bird watching, cooking, canoeing, camping

Favorite book: The list includes A Sand County Almanac, The Kite Runner, and True North.

Favorite musicians: Van Morrison and Miles Davis

Favorite location on the river: The overlook at the McGill Tract of the Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area.

Last big vacation: Long Island, New York

Conservation/environmental heroes: “Aldo Leopold and numerous living local conservation types who would be too embarrassed to have their names appear — but you know who you are.”