Executive Director of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Resigns

The Commission appointed Chief Deputy Director Fred Harris to serve as interim executive director

August 9, 2007

WAKE COUNTY NC NEWS -- Executive Director of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Richard B. Hamilton resigned his position on Monday, August 6, 2007. Hamilton tendered his resignation in an executive session during a specially called meeting of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The resignation became effective immediately on Hamilton's tender.

The Commission appointed Chief Deputy Director Fred Harris to serve as interim executive director, and the agency staff was notified immediately following adjournment of the meeting.

Fred Harris expressed to the best of his knowledge, the reason for Executive Director Hamilton resignation was due to an inability for Hamilton and the 19 member commission to resolve differences of opinion. Harris also expressed both parties had worked for some time to resolve their differences. Unfortunately, Mr. Harris does not know what those differences were because they were discussed in a closed session in which he was not present. Furthermore, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has not been investigated by the Office of the State Auditor which is usually a clear indication of fiscal management problems.

Hamilton had served the agency as a biologist for 37 years, and became the executive director for the agency in September 2004. During Hamilton's career with the commission, he had successfully worked to:

• Help disabled sportsmen to gain national prominence.
• Opened two modern wildlife education centers.
• Increased the state's number of boating access areas to 205.
• Secured thousands of acres of natural habitat and game lands.

Hamilton's interim replacement, Fred Harris, has been chief deputy director since October 2004. A fisheries biologist, Harris began working for the Commission in 1972. Before becoming chief deputy director of the Wildlife Resources Commission, Harris worked as chief of the Division of Inland Fisheries.

The Wildlife Resources Commission is divided into five divisions:

• Inland Fisheries
• Conservation Education
• Administrative Services
• Wildlife Management
• Engineering Services
• Law Enforcement

The Wildlife Resources Commission consists of wildlife and fisheries biologists, wildlife enforcement officers, educators, engineers and administrative staff members located in nine districts across North Carolina. The mission of the commission is to educate, regulate, maintain and enforce sound conservation, and management of the state's fish and wildlife resources.

Published by:
Rob Cross
mailto:editor@357news.com

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