[ODF_Private_Forests] ODF Executive Team Changes

Mon Jun 20 14:23:03 PDT 2011

State Forester Doug Decker provided this message to Oregon Department of Forestry staff on Monday about realignments within the ODF Executive Team.

Kevin Weeks

Public Information Officer

Oregon Department of Forestry

Agency Affairs Office

(503) 945-7427

From: DECKER Doug S
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 11:46 AM
To: ALL FORESTRY
Subject: Executive Team Changes and Recruitment Update

Good morning ODF...

I've been looking forward to being able to provide an update on a topic I mentioned a few months back related to changes in our executive structure. You'll recall that I've been talking about and working on ways to increase our executive capacity to help lead important work on our plate, and at the same time making some changes to the structure of the executive team to help us be more productive.  Last week we received the "green light" from the Budget and Management Division at DAS on making those structural changes. This week, we'll work to put the pieces in place, and as we do that, I'm very pleased to share this news.

So here's a rundown on the changes:

Reinstating the Deputy State Forester Position | Paul Bell as Deputy

In place of the current Associate State Forester position, we'll be reinstating the role of the Deputy State Forester. I have asked Paul Bell, who has been doing double duty as Associate State Forester and Fire Division Chief, to take on this role. Throughout our history as an agency, the deputy position has been critical in integrating field and program operations, and serving as the agency's second in command.

Paul, a 21-year ODF veteran, has worked extensively in most of our department businesses including: seasonal firefighter, forest fuels specialist in smoke management, Service Forester, Forest Practices Policy Analyst, District Forester, Private Forests Deputy Chief, Fire Division Chief and Associate State Forester. Paul's extensive field and staff experience as well as proven leadership enable him to fulfill this position perfectly, serving in essence as our agency's chief operations officer. In doing this, we create an opening in the Fire Division Chief position.

Nancy Hirsch to take on the Fire Division Chief position

Our current State Forests Division Chief Nancy Hirsch will move over into the fire world and take on the Fire Division Chief position. We have a tradition on Executive Team that when Division Chief positions come vacant, existing Division Chiefs can voice an interest in taking on new portfolios. Nancy has expressed interest in the top fire position in the agency, and I'm very pleased to support her in this move.

For context, Nancy has excellent credentials in fire. She actually started her natural resources career back in 1984 as a firefighter for the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Over the past 22 years with ODF she has been involved with fire protection in multiple venues that include:  coordinating fire preparedness planning and mobilization as the assistant to the northwest Oregon area, partnering with the Clackamas-Marion fire protective association as a district forester, providing leadership in various Incident Command System roles within operations and command staff, and serving on the cadre for the Complex Incident Management Course. She has also recently served as the IC for ODF Fire Team 3. Nancy is also a demonstrated relationship builder, excellent communicator and experienced leader. This fall she served as acting State Forester for several months during the recent leadership transition. Her leadership in State Forests the last two years has been critical during some very challenging times.

Obviously, these changes will leave open the State Forests Division Chief position, which we'll begin open competitive recruiting for immediately. Nancy will stay in State Forests-and Paul as Fire Division Chief-probably through much of the fire season as we work through the recruitment process, but you can bet there will be plenty of communication between them as they ready the transition. I'm very sensitive about the timing on this given both the critical fire and state forest topics at hand right now, and we'll all be working to make this as seamless as possible.

Fill the Private Forests Division Chief Position

When this position became vacant in 2009, the agency chose not to fill it. But with the significant focus on rebuilding the program and making restoration to the Forest Practices Program, I believe we need to fill this position permanently to provide leadership on these and many other topics going forward. Peter Daugherty, Private Forests Deputy Chief, has been doing an excellent job serving as acting Division Chief in this position since Marvin's departure in October. All of us on the Executive Team believe this is a critical leadership position to coordinate and collaborate with the landowner and operator community, other regulatory agencies, a wide range of interests, the legislature and within ODF. Recruitment begins immediately.

Amend and fill the State Forester's Executive Assistant Position

Darlene Downey served as secretary to the State Forester during much of Marvin's term. With her departure, I've moved to reshape that position from an Executive Support Specialist 1 position to a higher level Executive Assistant position. This assistant is critical to help me and members of the Executive Team be as productive as possible, helping with all aspects of scheduling, organization, communication referral and also providing talented special project support. Jen Warren has been acting in this position since March, and has been a huge help to me and to the team. You may have seen the recruitment announcement for this position, which went out last week.

How the new Executive Team structure works...
With these changes, our Executive Team will consist of the State Forester and Deputy, four Division Chiefs, the three Area Directors, the Resources Planning, Human Resources and Agency Affairs Program Directors, the Executive Assistant, and the internal auditor when we are able to fill that currently vacant position. The Area Directors and the chiefs of the Fire, State Forests and Private Forests divisions will report to Paul. The Administrative Services chief and the other team members will report to me. We will continue to focus as a single close-knit team on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Together, I believe these moves will retain the excellent working relationships we already have on our Executive Team and provide the capacity to shape and lead our businesses through this rebuilding phase into the future.

A few other thoughts...
Since we're looking at the radar screen of change and recruiting relative to the Executive Team, I also wanted to mention that recruitment announcements for the Southern Oregon Area Director, and a revised Resource Planning Director position, will also be in circulation in the next several days. Dave Lorenz has been doing a great job as acting SOA Director since Dan Shults' retirement; Kevin Birch starts today as interim Resource Planning Director as David Morman prepares to retire effective July 1. I've made some significant changes to the Resource Planning position, including taking on agency-wide planning coordination, and bringing that position onto the Executive Team.

I am very pleased with the commitment and leadership from the Exec Team...we're clarifying roles, responsibilities and expectations, and working hard on both near-term and longer-term topics, through weekly meetings and a series of on-going retreats.

Change is the only constant...
Last thought: this is a time of change, and I believe positive change. As foresters and people connected to the natural landscape, we know that change is the only real constant in our lives. I ask for your patience and support as we make these changes, and for your support of agency leaders involved in these changes. I also extend my appreciation and thanks for the job you do.

Stay safe out there.

Doug Decker, Oregon State Forester

Director, Oregon Department of Forestry
Office: 503-945-7211
Oregon Department of Forestry
2600 State Street, Salem OR 97301
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