Salt Lake City, Utah: At their recent board meeting held in conjunction with the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo, the Mule Deer Foundation added Andrew McKean, Chad Schearer and Rob Weekes to its board of directors. The new members will bring their passion for mule deer and their strength in media and communications to the already strong board.
“Our board has played a major role in our organization’s growth resulting in the incredible work we are doing for mule deer and black-tailed deer. We are excited to welcome Andrew, Chad and Rob to this group to expand our ability to tell the Mule Deer Foundation’s story to an even larger audience,” said MDF President/CEO Miles Moretti.
“We also greatly appreciate the efforts of our two outgoing board members, Dr. Alden Glidden and Dave Dibben, who have served the organization well and have helped to set us on this path forward.”
Andrew McKean is editor-in-chief and hunting editor of Outdoor Life magazine and is an avid mule deer hunter. He is a native of northern Missouri but now lives in Glasgow, Montana with his wife and three children. McKean previously worked with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks as an information and education program manager. From 1995 to 2001, he was the Rocky Mountain editor for Fishing & Hunting News and held editor positions with several local newspapers in the West as well as being a freelance outdoor writer. McKean is a strong supporter of public lands and hunting access and was the visionary behind Outdoor Life’s Open Country program.
“Mule deer, and the places they live, are my first and biggest love as a hunter and as a conservationist. Everything I care about as an eastern Montanan is represented by mule deer: the prairie, public land, sagebrush, public access, and our hunting tradition,” McKean said. “I’m eager to roll up my sleeves to further benefit the resource and those who enjoy it., and I can’t think of a better, more focused organization to be part of to accomplish these goals.”
As co-host of his television show Shoot Straight, Chad Schearer is a well-known voice for conservation and hunting as a family. Chad, his wife Marsha and their two sons, Walker and Wyatt, have toured the country giving seminars at sportsmen’s shows for years. He is a world champion elk caller and is a licensed guide and outfitter near Great Falls, Montana. Chad is a freelance writer and pro-staff for numerous outdoor companies, providing him with critical knowledge on communicating hunting and conservation issues to the public.
“What I love about MDF is the patriotism and the love of family that everyone in this organization shows, and the incredible volunteers that work so hard all year long for mule deer and black-tailed deer conservation,” commented Schearer. “I love mule deer and the habitat they live in and I am proud to be involved with an organization whose members have so much respect for God’s creation and sacrifice so much time and money to take care of something that the animals cannot take care of on their own.”
Robert Weekes is the Chief Marketing Officer for USA Shooting and leads the organization’s sponsorship, strategic marketing and fundraising efforts. Weekes has over 30 years of experience with major corporations and non-profit sports organizations. His marketing experience includes stints as a small-business owner along with corporate roles in advertising and sales for Car and Driver, America Online and The New York Times Sports and Leisure Magazine Group. Weekes lives northwest of Colorado Springs with his wife, Maureen.
“With my work for USA Shooting, I go to a lot of shows and don’t see a lot of kids, but they are always a big part of every MDF event that I’ve been involved in and this is so important to the future of hunting and shooting,” noted Weekes. “I’m hoping to bring my years of magazine publishing and marketing experience to the board to continue to promote the many things MDF does so well.”
About MDF
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to restoring, improving and protecting mule deer and black-tailed deer and their habitat, with a focus on science and program efficiency. MDF is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. MDF acknowledges regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to recruitment and retention of youth into the shooting sports and conservation. Get involved at www.muledeer.org or call 1-888-375-3337.