A Retiring CEO’s Sincerest Thanks
Becky Humphries has served as NWTF CEO since 2017 after joining the organization in 2013. She has nearly 45 years of service as a stalwart for wildlife conservation. Humphries will step down from her role as co-CEO at the end of February 2023. Her dedication to the resource will live on, and the NWTF is grateful for her leadership. Best wishes, Becky!
This is my final column as National Wild Turkey Federation CEO and, confession time, I have been procrastinating. My procrastination comes not out of fear of this change for me personally nor of not being a part of the incredibly bright future of this great organization. Rather, it stemmed from concerns for my inability to adequately express my conviction for the bright future of this organization and its unwavering mission. I also feared my inability to adequately convey my gratitude and respect for the people, volunteers, staff, partners and donors who I have been privileged to work beside for the past decade in pursuit of fulfilling that mission.
However, as I watched eight turkeys kicking up the oak leaves on my hillside this one afternoon, I realized I can stall no longer. Over the years I have learned so many life lessons from my observations afield. What grace God provides, this gift of learning from and through His creation. As those turkeys reminded me, tomorrow waits for no one, and simple action is almost always better than none at all.
My sincerest thanks to all of you for your support and commitment to the NWTF. Although the past few years have included unprecedented challenges, challenging times have always been where the people of the NWTF have shined the brightest. Together, we have made huge strides, and as we embark on our 50th Anniversary year, the NWTF is once again on strong financial footing and poised to deliver on our mission at an unprecedented rate. Your work and support have put us in this position … thank you!
The NWTF has enjoyed a wonderful, successful history over the last 50 years. I share with you a sense of pride of our past accomplishments, but also a sense of real excitement about the future. The restoration of the wild turkey was only our first step. Restoring habitat in our vast landscapes across America — our forests, fields, rivers and lakes, and sharing our love of the outdoors, especially our hunting lifestyle — will be paramount to our future success and growth.
While we must remember the lessons of yesterday, we must also identify the opportunities of today and actively work to make tomorrow even better. The NWTF is now firmly positioned on solid ground with a vision for the future and strong partnerships. We look forward to continuing to learn from our work and research. We are also an organization that applies common sense to today’s problems. Simpler can serve us well, and humble is in our DNA.
Like so many, I came to the NWTF because of our outstanding mission, but I stayed because of you, our tremendous staff and volunteers! My prayers are with you and yours for a joy-filled holiday season and new year, and it is my special honor to thank you for your support, your trust and your hope for a bright future for the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our hunting heritage.