Pa Game Commission Welcomes Martone To Board
HARRISBURG, Pa – -(AmmoLand.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today welcomed the Board of Game Commissioners newest member, Ralph A. Martone, of New Castle, Lawrence County, which brings the Board to its full complement of eight members.
Martone was nominated by Gov. Edward G. Rendell on June 3, and confirmed by the state Senate on July 15. Martone fills the unexpired term of H. Daniel Hill III, who resigned earlier this year when he was appointed Senior Policy Advisor and Counselor to U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper. Martone’s term expires Oct. 14, 2014.
“As a member of the Board of Game Commissioners, I look forward to helping guide the agency in managing the state’s wildlife resources and meeting the needs of its citizens, including hunters and non-hunters,” Martone said. “In a new era of wildlife management, the Game Commission must strive to balance the diverse needs of society with scientific management concepts. In addition, the leadership of the agency is charged with maintaining a sound fiscal plan while dealing with such diverse issues as hunter recruitment and deer management.”
Martone presently is a physics and general science teacher for the Shenango Area School District, where he teaches an in-depth study of white-tailed deer biology, deer management practices and both the social and recreational influences of deer on society. He also teaches a college prep course on conceptual physics and advanced physics, and a serves as the advisor for the Shenango High School Conservation Club.
In addition to writing an outdoor column for the New Castle News, Martone has contributed articles and stories on hunting and hunter education for the agency’s monthly magazine, Pennsylvania Game News. He also serves as a volunteer Hunter-Trapper Education instructor, and recently served on the agency’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Wildlife Management Unit 1A.
A 1989 graduate of Westminster College with a bachelor’s degree in physics, Martone previously earned an associate’s degree from Penn State University in business administration.
Martone is a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation, and serves as a local chapter president; the National Rifle Association; Quality Deer Management Association; Pennsylvania Deer Association; and the Lawrence County Sportsmen’s Association. He also is a member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, the Pennsylvania Hunter Education Association and the International Hunter Education Association.
In the community, Martone serves as the Lawrence County coordinator for the Hunters Sharing the Harvest program, as turkey and deer hunting safety instructor for the National Rifle Association, as well as organizer for the Youth Field Day sponsored by the Lawrence County Sportsmen for Youth. He also is an emergency medical technician and a volunteer with the American Cancer Society.
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners is comprised of eight board members, each selected by the Governor and confirmed by majority vote of the state Senate. Title 34, also known as the Game and Wildlife Code, is the law that governs Board actions, duties and responsibilities. Title 34 requires that each member be a citizen of the Commonwealth, and well informed about wildlife conservation and restoration. Game Commissioners are appointed from various geographical districts of the state to ensure uniform representation for all residents. These districts are not the same as Game Commission agency regions.
Game Commissioners individually hold office for terms of eight years, but may remain seated for an additional six months if no successor is named. Members of the Board receive no compensation for their services, but may be reimbursed for travel expenses.
Game Commissioners function as a board of directors, establishing policy for the agency. They are not agency employees. Although they are selected by district, they represent all Pennsylvanians and the state’s 467 species of wild birds and mammals.