Board
Chuck Lenze, President
Ron Miller, Vice-President
Ace Hendricks, Secretary
Mick Kreidler
Joe Gavin
Staff
Jim has been Director of the WCCB since July of 1990. He had previously been Director of the Keokuk County Conservation Board and a Ranger for the Black Hawk County Conservation Board. He grew up in Shenandoah, Iowa and graduated high school there in 1980. Jim graduated from Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, Missouri in 1984 with a degree in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. Jim and his family reside in rural Indianola. His wife, Ronda, teaches French at Indianola High School, their son Raymond lives in Cedar falls and daughter Jorden attends Indianola schools.
Jim an instructor for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Hunter Education Program in Warren County. He has been a board member of the County Conservation Director’s Association Turn in Poachers of Iowa, Inc., Ducks Unlimited, Pheasant’s Forever and the National Wild Turkey Federation.
Mark has been with the Warren County Conservation Board since September of 1991. He grew up in Indianola and believes Warren County is a great place to live, work and raise a family. Mark graduated from Indianola High School in 1984 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University in 1989, majoring in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology. He is also certified to teach biology at the high school level.
Mark’s family consists of his wife, Michelle and daughter, Allison. Michelle works for the Iowa DNR and Allison attends school in the Southeast Warren School District. Other family members include two black labs and a beagle.
As Natural Resource Specialist, Mark maintains several county areas including public hunting areas, county parks, two multi-use hard surface trails and state preserves. Mark supervises the summer crew, works with the roadside program, and helps people with backyard prairie and CRP plantings.
During his free time, Mark can be found outside. He enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family and friends. During the late winter months, when hunting season is over, you can find him cheering on the Cyclones. Go ISU!!
Joel has been at the Warren County Conservation Board since September of 1990. He started working for Warren County after finishing his degree in biology at the University of Northern Iowa (Go Panthers!) two seasonal internships at Hartman Reserve Nature Center in Black Hawk County. At the Annett Nature Center, Joel can be found presenting and overseeing the educational programs that the county has to offer. As well, his duties also include developing and creating new displays and activities at the Annett Nature Center. Missy Smith — the Naturalist I — can also be found presenting at many of the programs.
Like many people that work in the natural resources field, Joel spends a fair amount of his time outside, utilizing the public wild spaces that the parks have to offer. Not limiting himself to just hiking and bird watching, Joel is also an avid skier, volleyball player and coach, world traveler and not a bad cook. You can easily find him just about anywhere with his camera in hand, taking pictures of an interesting looking insect or possibly just an interesting looking friend of his.
If you would like to have Joel or one of the other Warren County Conservation Staff speak to your group about a conservation related topic, please refer back to the group presentations page of this web site or click the link above to email him.
Missy started with the Warren County Conservation Board in September of 2008. Previously, she has been the Environmental Education Coordinator with Boone County, a seasonal naturalist at Lake Ahquabi and a program coordinator with a school district in Tucson, Arizona.
Missy grew up in Johnston and graduated high school in 1997. She graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Biology in 2001. GO STATE! Missy and her family live in West Des Moines. Her husband, Jake, is a recruiter for the Air Force. Their daughter Lilly is their pride and joy. Other family members include two lab mixes.
As a naturalist for the county, Missy presents environmental education programs. In her free time you can find her outside. She enjoys fishing, canoeing, and spending time with family and friends.
Position vacant,
Conservation Technician
