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The Balance Wheel: Summer 2003

MEMBER NEWS

Mike Smith | Dennis MacKee

Mike Smith Retires from Job, but not ACI
By: Nicholas Throckmorton, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.

Michael L. Smith, whose 30 plus year conservation communication career brought together state and federal conservation groups, retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on April 18, 2003. Smith was accorded the Spirit of ACI Award in 1989, and it retained a cherished space in his office until he retired.

Smith joined the AACI, the American Association of Conservation Information as it was known then, when he began his conservation career in 1972 as an employee of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. His years at Kentucky and ACI provided him a view into the challenges state I&E offices face.

"I have been sympathetic with the states' budget hurdles, especially those the information people faced," said Smith. "When I look at how little most states can allocate to their information efforts and yet see the surpassing quality of their product, I know America's outdoor enthusiasts are getting an exceptional value for their dollar. In any resource agency, it is usually the I&E people who are among the hardest workers. A good I&E person must redouble their efforts every day to stay fresh in their knowledge and on top of many issues."

Smith started with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1975 in the radio-tv division of public affairs office where he eventually rose to become Deputy Chief. He then served as the Deputy Chief of International Affairs in Washington, D.C.; Assistant Regional Director for External Affairs in Denver, Colorado; Chief of the Division of Education and Outreach at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia; and Deputy Assistant Director for External Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Smith has strongly encouraged the Service to become more involved in ACI. At his urging, the Service hosted the 2002 ACI Conference at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Smith's focused conservation communication career began its course in college. This, combined with a lifetime of experience, has given Smith a big picture view of what is happening in the field.

"When I came to the Service, the agency's most daunting resource issues were directly related to the agency's lack of outreach and communication to the public at large. The worst problem the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service faced then is the same one it faces now - the potential for insularity. Natural resource agencies go inward and silent in times of crisis. And that is exactly the time when we should be out there meeting the public, addressing the reality of the issues."

If you think that Smith's retirement from the Service means he is leaving ACI, think again. Smith plans a sojourn to Cody this summer and has hinted an interest in working with the Service's National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and ACI to restart the I&E Winter Workshops.

Dennis MacKee Accepts New Position
Dennis MacKee left his position as director of the Office of Informational Services (OIS) with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in early April. “Mac” moved to Palm Bay, Fla. to be closer to his fiancé and family. He has accepted a position with the Brevard County Parks & Recreation Department promoting nature-based recreation and providing other marketing services.

Scott Ball is serving as interim director and dealing with legislative budget cuts, staff reductions within OIS and reorganization of the entire agency under a new executive director.