SOURCE:
http://www.southernsporting.com/articles.asp?ArticleID=387Breaking News: NWTF Chief Rob Keck Steps Down
3/26/2008
Wow, talk about a quick departure. Less than a week after National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) CEO Rob Keck was smoozing at the Alabama Governor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt, the longtime organization head abruptly announced his resignation this morning during an all-staff meeting. The announcement, a complete surprise to the staff and industry alike, comes just a day after the federation's board of directors forced Chief Operating Officer Carl Brown and Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Dick Rosenlieb to step down.
Keck, who began his career as a high school art teacher, became a volunteer with the fledgling NWTF back in the mid 1970s. He joined the organization as an employee in 1978 and quickly rose to the ranks of CEO, a position he has held for 27 years. Under his leadership, the NWTF has grown to more than 550,000 members and stands among the most viably robust and visible conservation organizations in the outdoor world.
"I was at a point in my life were I decided it was time to make a change," Keck said. He would not comment on if the firings of Brown and Rosenlieb led to the timing of his decision, citing health and family reasons for his decision.
Sources close to the matter said a move had been made last October during the fall board meeting to oust Brown and Rosenlieb, both key members of the organization's leadership for many years, and that Keck threatened to resign if they went through with the move. The effort failed and the leadership team proceeded intact. Until now.
Carl Brown
Reached at his home, former COO Carl Brown, declined to discuss specifics, but confirmed that he was no longer with the federation.
"I think it is a sad day for the Federation, and the future for the organization right now is very unclear," Brown said. “The culture...that we tried to build there was one of family and at this moment, all I can say is that I’m very disappointed.”
Brown had worked for the NWTF for 28 years and was responsible for overseeing the organizations meteoric chapter growth in recent years.
Dick Rosenlieb, the former Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing and an employee with the organization for 19 years, echoed Brown's sentiments.
Dick Rosenlieb
"I hate it because of my relationships with volunteers across the country and the relationships we had built with so many corporate partners," Rosenlieb said. "I think it's a shame. I love the Turkey Federation and I hate to see this."
When asked why the board had it out for him and Brown, Rosenlieb noted only that they apparently wanted to head in a different direction. He said he could not elaborate further.
Sources have said that the board had been investigating certain management practices at the Federation and that the board's actions were in response to their findings. Chairman of the board, Jere D. Peak, a longtime NWTF volunteer from Alabama who was also in attendance at the Alabama Governor's One-Shot Turkey Hunt last week, was unavailable for comment.
Other employees reached for comment refused to speak saying only that they were extremely surprised by the news. They had not been notifiied of Brown or Rosenlieb's departure.
During a phone call, Keck said that he will stay on with the NWTF until June 1, to help with the transition of power to a new or interim CEO. His resignation, combined with the departures of Brown and Rosenlieb, leave a huge vacuum in the organization's leadership. Despite that, Keck says the NWTF should continue to find success.
"I would think the organization will be just fine. (The board) will find a good, competent leader in good time," he said. "They have a vision that might take the federation in a new direction, but the people we brought up under us can do a very good job."
Turkey populations have skyrocketed during Keck's tenure as the organization successfully partnered with state and federal wildlife agencies to relocate flocks and improve habitat. Keck is also perhaps the most recognized conservation group leader, known to many sportsmen through his role as host of the NWTF's flagship television program, Turkey Call, which first aired in the late 1990s.
Keck, 57, said that he was looking forward to finding a job that would allow him to have a broader impact in the industry, explaining that the health concerns were more of a lifestyle nature than any one particular problem.
"I’ve been known for my part in the return of the wild turkey, but I’ve done a lot more than just (work on behalf of) turkeys," he said.
When asked if he would be interested in heading up another organization, Keck was emphatic.
"I really have no interest in heading up another organization," he said.
Stay tuned as developments come in. — Doug Howlett and Colin Moore
