5th annual

NRLI Advisory Board members: Mike Gantt,Representative Arlie Culp, Paula Thomas, Sam Cooke, and Stan
Adams


Mike Gantt, Chair NRLI Ad Board recognizing NRLI 1999 Graduates: Bill Gilmore, Tracy Patterson, and Mitch Woodward

On June 16, 2000, founders of the Natural Resources Leadership Institute (NRLI) at North Carolina State University College of Ag and Life Sciences were honored for their leadership at the Institute's fifth annual graduation ceremony. In conjunction with the graduation class of NRLI 1999, the founders each received a special recognition award, for their vision and personal commitment in creating NRLI, inscribed with the names of each NRLI Fellow since 1995 until the current class of 2000. Those honored were:Steve Smutko, Institute Director, and Leon Danielson, Professor, both from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics; Si Garber, Associate Professor (retired) from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology; Mike Levi, Project Leader and Professor (retired) from Extension Administration and Ed Jones, Professor and Associate State Program Leader for Natural Resources and Community Rural Development also from Extension Administration; and John Stephens, professor (Institute of Government) also recognized for his faculty role in the early development of the Institute.
Members of the NRLI Advisory Board were also honored with a recognition award for their leadership, dedication and guidance in developing the Natural Resources Leadership Institute. Those members are:Stan Adams (Division of Forest Resources), Tom Bean (Tar-Pamlico Foundation), Bob Beason (International Paper), Arlie Culp (North Carolina House of Representatives), Mike Gantt, Chair (United States Fish and Wildlife Service), Bill Holman (NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources), Preston Howard ( Manufactures & Chemical Industry Council), Carl Jessup (Weyerhaeuser), John Ramey (US Forest Service), Ed Regan (NC Association of County Commissioners), Ed Scott (NC Citizens for Business and Industry), John Runkle (Conservation Council of NC), Paula Thomas (NC League of Municipalities), Larry Tombaugh (College of Forest Resources), and Bob Williamson (NC A&T University). The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Phil McKnelly (Division Director of North Carolina's State Parks and Recreation). Following his address, Chris Canfield (Executive Director of NC State Office of National Audubon and a NRLI 1999 Graduate) read a letter from Dr. Jon Brandt, Department Head of Agriculture and Resources Economics where the institute is housed and administered, commended the founders, the NRLI Advisory Board, and the NRLI Fellows for their accomplishments in developing the caliber of program that NRLI has become. Chris handed out the recognition awards to the NRLI Advisory Board members. Then Dr. Jon Ort, Director of the NC Cooperative Extension Service, honored the founders for their leadership and distributed their awards. This special ceremony was followed with Mike Gantt handing out the graduate certificates to the NRLI 1999 Fellows.