General Sessions

NACD's mission is to serve conservation districts by providing national leadership and a unified voice for natural resource conservation.

NACD 2009 Annual Meeting • February 1 - 4, 2009 • New Orleans, LA

General Session (8:30 – 10:30 a.m.)
Theme: Foundation for the Future

Presiding: Steve Robinson, President Elect, NACD, Marysville, OH
Presentation of Colors
National Anthem: Charlene Bruce
Pledge of Allegiance: Steve Robinson, President Elect, NACD, Marysville, OH
Invocation: Jim Lacy, Chair, NACD Stewardship and Education Committee, Compton, KY
Host State Welcome and Gift Presentation: Earl Garber, President, Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts, Basile, LA
Assembly of State Associations: State and Territory Representatives
State Address: Bobby Jindal, Governor, State of Louisiana,Baton Rouge, LA (invited)
Current Issues Facing Conservation: Mike Strain, Commissioner, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Baton Rouge, LA
Building Partnerships for Tomorrow: Dr. James Earl Kennamer, Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs, National Wild Turkey Federation, Edgefield, SC
NWTF 2008 Conservation District of the Year Award
Without Hammer and Nails: Krysta Harden, CEO, NACD, Washington, D.C.
President’s Address: John Redding, President, NACD, Monroe, GA

Leadership Luncheon (12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m.)

Presiding: Gene Schmidt, Secretary/Treasurer, NACD, Hanna, IN
Live Broadcast: Pam Jahnke, President, National Association of Farm Broadcasting, Madison, WI
Invocation: John Compton, Executive Board Member, NACD, Baton Rouge, LA
Keynote Speaker: Chad Pregracke, Founder and President, Living Lands and Waters, East Moline, IL
Membership Recognition: Gene Schmidt, Secretary/Treasurer, NACD, Hanna, IN

General Session (9:00 – 11:00 a.m.)
Theme: Revitalizing and Expanding Partnerships

Presiding: Bob Cordova, Second Vice President, NACD, Colorado Springs, CO
Speaker: Jay Grymes, Chief Meteorologist, WAFB-9, Baton Rouge, LA
Speaker: Craig Hooks, Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Speaker: Charles Shadie, Senior Hydraulic Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS
Speaker: Ray Vaughan, Executive Director, WildLaw, Montgomery, AL
Speaker: Jim Hubbard, Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Washington, D.C.
Speaker: Dana York, Associate Chief, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, D.C.