He served as Executive Director of the Iowa Soybean Association from 1988-1991, and at the same time was Executive Director of the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board. He is a former Legislative Aide to Senator Charles Grassley. An Iowa native, he is a graduate of George Mason University and received a Master's degree and M.B.A. from Stanford University. The overall NREM goal is to educate diverse groups of people to make decisions and take actions that will improve the quality, productivity, and sustainability of natural resources. These winning programs demonstrate innovation and behavioral change in intended audiences and the potential for adapting and transferring the program to other states.
Complete information is available on the NREM website.
We also list individual program contacts at the end of each summary. Recent population growth, unusual El Nino weather patterns, and increased incidences of fire losses demonstrated need for citizen education about the natural role of fire, the advantages and disadvantages of prescribed burning, the need to notify neighbors in advance of the burn and what homeowners can do to live safely and reduce their risk in fire-prone areas. This project builds the capacity of county Extension agents, county foresters, and fire personnel to conduct educational programs, establish local media opportunities, and develop local demonstration areas to help citizens of the wildland-urban interface understand wildland fire. Materials developed are relevant for all states in the southern pine ecosystem, where fire helps maintain the natural systems. They include a Wildland Fire Education Toolkit with handbook, press kit, video library, slides, and roadside sign designating areas managed with prescribed fire.