TRCP Board Strengthened by Three New Additions
Jo Ann Barefoot, Scott Blackwell and Leslie Ketner bring expertise, passion to leadership of national sportsman-conservation group
Jo Ann Barefoot, Scott Blackwell and Leslie Ketner have joined the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership’s board of directors, bringing a unique set of skills, diversity and influence to the leadership of the national sportsman-conservation group.
“American sportsmen are well served by the strength, diversity and expertise represented on the TRCP board of directors. Our three new board members are exceptional additions to our leadership,” said TRCP President and CEO Whit Fosburgh. “Avid hunters and anglers, they also are dedicated to what Theodore Roosevelt called a ‘life in the open,’ and Roosevelt no doubt would be gratified to see such committed conservationists and outdoorsmen carry on his legacy.”
Jo Ann Barefoot has more than 35 years of management, strategy, regulatory and consulting experience focused on consumer financial protection and currently is senior advisor with Treliant Risk Advisors. A former deputy comptroller of the currency and partner at KPMG, she has advised most of America’s largest financial institutions, scores of community banks and numerous nonprofits and government agencies. She is a frequent speaker and media source on financial issues, has authored several books and more than 150 articles, and has testified before Congress and federal officials. Barefoot also has a strong track record in nonprofit management and governance, including chairing The Nature Conservancy’s Ohio chapter and its global trustee council.
“It’s an honor and a joy to join the talented board and staff of the TRCP in this important work of fostering healthy wild lands and waters for the benefit of all Americans,” said Barefoot. “The TRCP lives up to its name – it’s a true partnership, uniquely effective in weaving disparate viewpoints into cooperation, consensus and progress. As an avid fly fisherman, I believe people’s lives are profoundly enriched by contact with nature, and I’m proud to join the TRCP in helping to strengthen and safeguard America’s legacy of accessible wild places.”
Scott Blackwell is president of the Remington Outdoor Company, one of the largest firearms and ammunition manufacturers in the world that includes such iconic brands as Remington, Marlin, Barnes Bullets and Mountain Khakis. An avid outdoorsman and angler, he enjoys bird and upland game hunting, as well as fresh- and saltwater fly fishing. An active member of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Trout Unlimited, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, TRCP and Safari Club International, he dedicates his time to wildlife conservation and habitat preservation. He is a benefactor member of the National Rifle Association, inductee of the NRA Golden Ring of Freedom, and serves as a director of the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance.
“I am honored to join the board of directors of the TRCP as they lead the charge to ensure that future generations of Americans have places to hunt and fish,” said Blackwell. “This is a cause profoundly important to me, both personally, spending time with my kids in the field and on the water, and professionally.
“When it comes to promoting conservation and improving land access for sportsmen and anglers, the TRCP is second to none in its work,” continued Blackwell. “This is an organization that not only understands the great responsibility we have to manage our natural resources wisely, but stands at the vanguard of efforts to promote an outdoor lifestyle that has become a staple of our American identity.”
Leslie Ketner brings more than 20 years of marketing and publishing experience to her clients at Pace Communications, where she serves as a vice president. As editorial director, she led Time Inc.’s Southern Progress Custom Publishing division through its largest period of growth, including development of three magazines and a Web presence for Lowe’s. Her approach to content development mixes with her early experience on the marketing and advertising side with agencies such as Wells Rich Greene and Scali McCabe Sloves. Ketner fox hunted in Virginia and Iowa for many years and now is turning her sporting time more toward fishing and hunting. She loves fly fishing for trout and upland shooting with her husband, Robert, particularly for quail, dove and pheasant.
“I am honored and delighted to be joining the men and women of the TRCP board of directors,” said Ketner. “We all share a passion for the great outdoors – for hunting and fishing and preserving natural resources. I have never seen a board and a staff so seamlessly aligned in purpose and with so many complementary gifts to offer our shared cause.”
“We’re thrilled to have Jo Ann, Scott and Leslie joining the board and adding their diverse skills and experiences to the TRCP,” said Dave Perkins, vice chairman of Orvis and chair of the TRCP board of directors.
In 1912 Theodore Roosevelt said, “There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country.” While in the political arena, he succeeded in making conservation a top tier national issue.
T.R. had the foresight to address these issues still so significant to sportsmen today, understanding that if we want to ensure critical habitat, special hunting grounds and secret fishing holes will be around for future generations, we must plan carefully today.
The TRCP is working to guarantee all Americans a quality place to hunt and fish.
