Norton names acting director of USFWS; agency manages ANWR

Interior Secretary Gale Norton has named Matthew J. Hogan as acting director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service until a new director is nominated by President Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Director Steve Williams announced his resignation earlier in March to become president of the Wildlife Management Institute.

Hogan has served as deputy director for the past three years.

“Matt Hogan has played a major role in furthering the president’s commitment to cooperative conservation through partnerships with states, tribes, local communities, conservation groups and others,” Norton said. “He will provide continuity and skillful leadership to the Service during the period of transition to a new director.”

Before joining the Fish and Wildlife in 2002, Hogan, 37, spent four years as conservation policy director of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, serving as a liaison between the hunting, fishing and conservation communities and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. Prior to that, he was government affairs manager for Safari Club International and legislative director for Congressman Pete Geren of Texas.

He graduated from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1990.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the manager for national wildlife refuges, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.