Announcing a leadership transition for SOS
From the desk of Tom Stuart, SOS Board Chair, August 30, 2013
To all Save Our wild Salmon Coalition Supporters and Allies:
On behalf of the Save Our wild Salmon’s board of directors, I am pleased to announce an important leadership transition for our 22-year old coalition.
Pat Ford, SOS’s long-time executive director, decided earlier this year to step away from full-time work with SOS after 21 years.
Since SOS began in 1992, Pat has played a key role in our diverse coalition of regional and national conservation organizations, fishing associations, clean energy advocates, and businesses. Since becoming executive director in 1998, Pat has helped our coalition become a potent force for salmon and steelhead restoration in the Pacific Northwest, with particular focus on Columbia/Snake Rivers and communities.
While all of us will miss Pat’s full-time work on behalf of wild salmon, steelhead, and healthy rivers, I am pleased to announce that, as of September 1, deputy director Joseph Bogaard will take the reins as Executive Director for SOS. Pat and Joseph have been working together closely for several months now to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. I’m also delighted to announce that Pat will continue with SOS for some months in a part-time capacity.
As most of you know, Joseph has an accomplished track record with SOS and our salmon campaign. He joined the staff in 1997 and has served in a number of capacities – organizer, outreach director, communications director, and deputy director.
Joseph has a deep knowledge of the issues surrounding our salmon campaign and longstanding relationships with all SOS constituencies, other salmon and steelhead advocates, and interest groups throughout the Pacific Northwest. Joseph has the energy, intellect, commitment, and creativity that’s needed in the years ahead to resolve the challenges we face in the Columbia-Snake Basin — to restore wild salmon and steelhead, to foster clean energy development, and to ensure prosperous communities region-wide. With Joseph’s education in zoology and resource policy, his service as an elected official, and many years of non-profit experience as both a staff and board member, I’m delighted that our coalition — and our work to restore Columbia-Snake Basin wild salmon and steelhead — won’t miss a beat under Joseph’s leadership.
Please join the SOS board in wishing Pat well in his transition, and embracing Joseph in his new role. And, thank you all again for your solid support over many years for the Save Our wild Salmon Coalition, and our incredibly important work on behalf of salmon and steelhead, rivers, communities, clean energy, and a stronger economy. We have much work left to do, and a strong team to do it.
With best regards,
Tom Stuart, Board President, Save Our wild Salmon Coalition
Boise, Idaho
