About the Trust
Board of Directors
The North Dakota Natural Resources Trust is under the direction of a six-member board of directors, each serving a two-year term, responsible for managing the Trust's affairs. Three of the directors are appointed by the governor of North Dakota, one by the National Audubon Society, one by the National Wildlife Federation, and one by the North Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department director is an ex-officio member. Any member of the board is eligible for reappointment for successive terms.
Members of the board elect their president, vice-president, and secretary/treasurer at the first meeting of the calendar year. All officers serve a one-year term but are eligible for re-election. The Board typically meets three times a year: January, May/June, and August/September.
If you are interested in a governor appointment to our board, contact the ND Boards and Commissions Office at 701-328-2202 or visit https://www.governor.nd.gov/boards/ for more information. Please check with the other appointee organizations to learn about their requirements and how to apply.
Jerry Doan
Appointed by the Governor
Jerry is a fourth generation rancher and owns and operates Black Leg Ranch in Burleigh County. He runs the ranch with his wife Renae and three sons Jeremy, Jay, and Jayce. They utilize Holistic management, planned rotational grazing, and no-till farming to regenerate their natural resources including wildlife. Jerry graduated from Bismarck State College with a degree in agri-business, North Dakota State University with a degree in animal science, and the Allan Savory Holistic Management School. The ranch goals include multi-generational transition along with bringing profitability back while improving the quality of life. Jerry’s goal on the board is to bridge the gap between landowners and wildlife groups and bring a landowner’s perspective to the table.
Duane Hauck
Appointed by the Governor
Duane is a graduate of North Dakota State University with a degree in mechanized agriculture. He has worked for the NDSU Extension Service for more than 35 years. He has conducted many educational programs focusing on natural resource managerment and has promoted many youth natural resource education programs such as 4H. Duane is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys hunting and fishing. He believes that good agricultural practices support wildlife and wildlife habitat. And believes it is important to stay focused on supporting projects and programs that promote good stewardship, which support wildlife habitat and the environment.
Randy Renner
Appointed by the North Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Randy is currently the manager of Conservation Programs-Land Protection at the Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Great Plains Regional office in Bismarck, North Dakota. He has a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from the University of North Dakota. He has been with Ducks Unlimited, Inc. since 1990. His work has included evaluating CRP for duck production, the effects of haying CRP on duck production, and managing the habitat restoration programs in Montana and North Dakota. He currently manages a realty staff and program that acquires grassland and wetland easements in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service small wetlands acquisition program. Randy was appointed as the North Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society representative to the Trust board.
Dave Dittloff
Appointed by the National Wildlife Federation
As a Regional Representative for the National Wildlife Federation, Dave works on a variety of conservation and hunting and fishing issues in the three state region of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. He has spent nearly twenty years partnering with diverse interests to find common sense conservation solutions that benefit wildlife and people. In addition to the National Wildlife Federation, Dittloff also has worked for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Five Valleys Land Trust, the Montana Wildlife Federation, and the Wyoming Wildlife Federation. Dave obtained a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Montana and a BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Wisconsin. In his free time he enjoys hiking, fishing, camping, canoeing, and spending time with his three daughters.
Gene Veeder
Appointed by the Governor
Gene is a third generation rancher in McKenzie County working with his daughter and son in law to transition the operation to the fourth generation. The family ranch encompasses diverse habitat for deer, elk, furbearers and birds. The management plan includes wildlife habitat and food sources as important pieces of the ecosystem and livestock production. He is a retired McKenzie County Commissioner and has served on the McKenzie County Economic Development Board, the McKenzie County Water Resource District, Western Area Water Supply Authority, Theodore Roosevelt Expressway and Badlands Advisory Group as well as the North Dakota Water Commission and EmPower North Dakota. He hosts a number of non ranching visitors to show them the role livestock production can play in wildlife management, quality hunting experiences and healthy soil development. A musician and horse trainer and avid outdoorsman, he has a Bachelors Degree from the University of North Dakota and Masters Degree from Central Michigan University. He and his wife Beth have three daughters and five grandchildren.
Jeb Williams
Ex-Officio Member
Jeb Williams is serving as Director of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department after being appointed by Gov. Doug Burgum on August 24, 2021. Jeb grew up in Beach, N.D., and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Dickinson State University. He is a past recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service for developing and implementing outreach programs that benefit the department and citizens. As Wildlife Division chief, he has overseen the department’s largest division, helped formulate policy on the federal farm bill, successfully negotiated and implemented agreements for elk and bighorn sheep with Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and MHA Nation, and represented the department on several national boards, among other duties. Jeb joined the Game and Fish Department in 1999 and has served in a variety of roles including natural resource technician and biologist, outreach biologist and wildlife resource management supervisor. He was named chief of the department’s Wildlife Division in 2014 after having served as assistant wildlife chief since 2011.
Kristal Stoner
Appointed by the National Audubon Society
Kristal is Executive Director for Audubon Great Plains, a new regional office that combines the Dakota and Nebraska offices. As head of Audubon Great Plains, Kristal oversees conservation strategies spanning across the state’s prairies, rivers, working lands, and bird-friendly communities. Kristal has been with the National Audubon Society since 2018 and additionally serves as the Audubon Nebraska Executive Director and as Vice President. Prior to Audubon, Kristal served as the Wildlife Diversity Program Manager at the Game and Parks Commission where she implemented the State Wildlife Action Plan to conserve at-risk species by developing and coordinating initiatives across multiple divisions, landscapes and public and private partnerships. Kristal is an adjunct professor in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and holds a MS in Ecology, Evolution, and Animal Behavior from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a B.S. in Biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
