NWTF Leader, Keck, Resigns

The National Wild Turkey Federation has announced its CEO resigned March 26. What the organization didn't say is that the resignation came one day after the organization's board forced two top leaders to turn in their resignations.

Rob Keck announced his resignation after 30 years with the conservation organization including 27 years as its CEO.

Keck said the resignation was for personal and family reasons, according to a NWTF press release. His resignation is effective June 1.

The Southern Sporting Journal is reporting that Keck resigned the day after the NWTF's board of directors called for the resignation of Chief Operating Officer Carl Brown and Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Dick Rosenlieb to step down.

Brown had been with the NWTF for 28 years, while Rosenlieb had 19 years with the organization.

Under Keck, the NWTF has grown into one of the nation's leading conservation organizations and the wild turkey has exploded thanks in part to the work of the NWTF and money raised by it.

When the NWTF was founded in 1973 there were an estimated 1.3 million wild turkeys and 1.5 million turkey hunters. Today, there are an estimated 7 million wild turkeys and 3 million hunters. Of those, more than 550,000 are NWTF members in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and 14 other foreign countries.

Since 1985, more than $258 million have been spent between the NWTF and cooperators, conserving more than 13.1 million acres of wildlife habitat

The NWTF board will immediately begin a nationwide search for Keck's successor.