Will Coates, President
Will was the former CEO and co-owner of Billy Goat Industries of Lee’s Summit, MO. Billy Goat is the leading designer and manufacturer of specialty outdoor power equipment. Will and his brother, Drew, oversaw growth of the business some five-fold since joining the business in the early 1990s. Will received a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Texas. He served as president of Billy Goat from 1994 to 2015, when Drew and he opted to sell the business to Briggs & Stratton Corp., the world’s largest manufacturer of air-cooled engines. Will stayed on to oversee the transition from private to public company and to preserve the culture and passion that contributed greatly to the company’s success. His primary activities were in business and new product development. He retired from Billy Goat in July 2018 after 26 years in the business but remains active in other partnerships. Will has served on area boards, including Summit Bank of Kansas City (Chairman 2012 – 2014), St. Luke’s East Hospital Advisory Board, Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council (incoming Chairman FY 2023) and Velocity, a supporter of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. He was also involved with a fuel-metering technology startup in Raytown, MO. He credits much of his personal growth and leadership style to his membership in Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Originally from the hill country of Texas, Will and his bride of 33 years, JJ, proudly call Missouri home. Together, they enjoy volunteering in the community, traveling, socializing with friends, and spending time with their children and grandchildren. In addition to volunteering, Will enjoys every moment he can improving the habitat and hunting at his Osceola area property, boating at the Lake of the Ozarks, and bicycling.
Dana Peterson, Secretary/Treasurer
Dana Peterson grew up in Carson, Iowa and was active in multiple high school extra-curricular activities including, football, baseball, basketball, band, choir, speech, drama, National Honor Society and student government. He graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. After graduation college he worked at Midwest Discount Brokers, Inc. as a Stockbroker/Investment Advisor and Partner/Director until 2003. He then served as a Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch. In 2011, Dana opened his business, Peterson Financial, and served as the owner until 2017. Venturing on to his more creative and foodie side, Dana opened Big D’s BBQ in Branson and supports the MoNASP State Tournament by donating lunches for the event volunteers. Dana is active in numerous hunting and conservation organizations. He enjoys traveling the world hunting, especially safari hunts. He looks forward to helping MCHF advance conservation for now and future generations.
Michelle Herzan, Vice President
Michelle Herzan is the Marketing and Communications Manager for Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation where she creates marketing and communication plans, press releases and advertisements. She is the current Vice President and Co-chair for the Branson Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement District. She is also Chair of the Ownership Culture Committee and Secretary for the Christian Associates Board. Her past business, finance and event management experience with Silver Dollar City Attractions and Bavarian Village Resort, as well as her longevity in Southwest Missouri, have secured Michelle a solid reputation in the area. She earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Dallas and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Flagler College. Michelle’s diverse background in marketing and state tourism makes her a valuable member of the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation Board. Michelle lives in Branson, Missouri.
Board Members
Corey Carter
Corey Carter currently serves as a Municipal Court Judge for the City of Kansas City, Missouri. Corey was appointed to the bench in 2015. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Corey served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for 10 years with the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office, prosecuting felony cases. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science (1999) and a Law Degree (2003) both from the University of Missouri – Columbia. He moved to the Kansas City Area after law school to accept the position with the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office. Corey, originally from Columbia, Missouri, grew up spending lots of time in the outdoors, fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, and playing sports. He attributes his love for the outdoors to his Grandfather and Father who got him into fishing, hunting, and boy scouts as a child. When Corey is not at work, he loves to spend time with his family, spending time outdoors with his son, following Mizzou sports, and watching the Chiefs. In addition to his personal activities, Corey volunteers as staff member with The American Legion’s Missouri Boys State and serves on the board for The Kansas City Missouri Assessment and Triage Center, an area crisis center for mental health and substance use. Corey is a member of the Missouri Bar Association, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Jackson County Bar Association, and Clay County Bar Association.
Robert “Bob” Fry
Dr. Robert ‘Bob’ Fry graduated from the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Dentistry. Bob served as a Captain in the US Army from 1973-1975. From 1975-1977 he attended the University of North Carolina where he received his Master of Science (MS) degree in Orthodontics. In 1977, Bob began his private practice of orthodontics in the Kansas City area. He is involved in local, national, and international charity efforts. He served as a member of several international medical teams, taking him to countries such as Haiti, Russia, Honduras and India. Bob’s love of conservation inspired him to build a family retreat, DuckHorn Lodge in Urich, MO. Like most family retreats, DuckHorn Lodge sat empty 95% of the time. The Fry family thought that was poor stewardship and decided to share this wonderful property with others. Therefore, DuckHorn Outdoors (DO (MO, 501-c-3 charity) was established in 2013. DO started its first charity events for youth with the mantra, “Get people unplugged and outdoors.” The focus broadened to include events for veterans, first responders, women, as well as physically and mentally disabled individuals. The DO vision is to provide life-changing outdoor. The first year DO provided free activities for 22 participants and programming continues to grow each year. In 2022, DO held over 50 events serving more than 2500 folks. BTW, DuckHorn Lodge is now busy approximately 300 days/year. DO was awarded the Conservation Organization of the Year in 2021 by the Conservation Federation of Missouri (the oldest and largest conservation organization in Missouri). Bob was awarded the Pinnacle Award by the Johnson County Library Foundation for Advocacy and Public Engagement and was named the Olathe Citizen of the Year by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce. Fry Orthodontics was presented the Kansas Award for Excellence, the highest-ranking award for excellence in business. Bob currently serves on the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Bob resides with his wife, Mary, in Greenwood, MO. They have been married since 1970.
Jessica Hayes
Jessica Hayes has led conservation advocacy and efforts of outreach across the nation for nearly 25 years in collaboration with governmental agencies, the private sector, and grass-root organizations to bring new audiences and those that would otherwise not have the opportunities, experiences of recreational sporting instruction and outdoor education. Jessica spear-headed the first Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Days programming with venue in the state of Missouri, leading to then a successful national, and international series of overnight camping initiatives that progressed for 15 years, – annually reaching hundreds of thousands of youth and families with offerings of fishing, shooting, archery, paddling and other conservation and skill participations; Jessica overaw these efforts through their culmination within the Outdoor Adventurer initiative fulfillment that she managed on behalf of Bass Pro Shops – Cabela’s in an encompassing 4 year agreement with the National Wildlife Federation. With partners of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Jessica also led the outreach in fulfilling a decade-long MOU on behalf of the Great American Outdoors Group that enabled disabled and special needs youth across the nation the opportunity of fishing experiences and instruction with pro anglers; these efforts evolved into the following year’s first Bass Pro Shops/White River Marine Group’s Fishing Dreams event, and came to annually include dozens of programming initiatives that also embraced our nation’s wounded Warriors and First Responders, as participants. Jessica worked on behalf of Bass Pro Shops as an established committee member of the American Outdoor Recreation Roundtable for many years, where she urged venue in Missouri to host the First in the Nation, Governor’s Capitol Campout; with Jessica’s leadership as the event’s Director, the programming brought accolades to the state and entities therein, gaining acclaim with the Coleman Award being granted to the then appointed Missouri Governor, – the initiative thrived and grew across the nation under the direction of Jessica during an 8 year agreement between the President’s and Governor’s Offices of Administrations, Departments of Natural Resources, and America’s State and National Parks for the Every Kid in a Park effort. Jessica currently serves as Secretary on the Executive Board of Directors for the James River Basin Partnership in the Ozarks, as well as having seat on the Conservation Federation of Missouri’s Outdoor Action Committee and being an endorsed CFM Lifetime Member by Johnny Morris; Jessica has served either as a member or advisory liaison on a wide range of conservation and community-based organizations across the US, – one in particular includes the National Law Enforcement Committee, that continues to oversee the largest US First Responder Recognition event that is annually hosted in the state of Missouri. Jessica is a devoted supporter of MDC and the work MCHF fulfills, and has been actively involved for many years on the planning committee with the MoNASP State Tournament. Jessica Hayes is currently the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the USAngling Confederation, where she works in dedication within conservation and the love of the great outdoors to sustain partnerships of supporters that not only provide leadership for our U.S.A. National Fishing Teams as they compete worldwide, but as well cultivate the agency in assisting the empowerment of community angling groups and continued engagement of America’s youth in the sport of fishing.
Judy Hennessey
Author Judy Hennessey was active in the automobile industry for over 25 years, and also managed her own advertising agency. She is now a full-time writer. Her works have appeared in multiple magazines and newspapers, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She is actively involved in the film industry, and is executive producer of 20 Ways, an award-winning short film. She has enjoyed serving on the board of New Mexico Women in Film and is a partner in the New Mexico based production company, White Crow Raven Productions. In addition, Hennessey is co-writer of the screenplay adaptation of First Rodeo. She, her husband and horses live on a farm in central Missouri.
Nathan “Shags” McLeod
Nathan “Shags” McLeod grew up in the Pacific Northwest fishing the Columbia River and its tributaries for Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Cutthroat trout and Sturgeon. He’d spend the fall hunting the hills of the Oregon Coast for Blacktail Deer and Roosevelt Elk. He went on to play college basketball in Minnesota for Concordia University. Graduating with a BA degree in Public Relations while trying to fish all of the 10,000 lakes Minnesota had to offer. After graduation he chased his dream of working in radio to Mid-Missouri. The last 15 years have been spent building a passionate and loyal Mid-Missouri fan base who love both a good laugh and conservation within the state. He’s brought his love for the outdoors to the masses through his radio show The 96.7 KCMQ Morning Shag and has become a spokesperson for conservation in the state of Missouri and beyond.
Regina “Gina” Meyer
Regina “Gina” Meyer is the Senior Vice President, Director of Human Resources and Public Relations at Mid America Bank. She is responsible for the execution of the bank’s marketing design priorities, workforce planning, employee relations, compensation and benefits management. Meyer has a wide range of experience in the banking industry which includes investments, information technology, and marketing. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Columbia College, a Graduate of MBA School of Bank Management and Graduate School of Banking, Human Resources, University of Madison, WI. In addition to her professional experience, Meyer volunteered her time by serving as Secretary of the Home & School Board, was an active member of the National Catholic Youth Conference in Osage County and Co-Chair of Project Graduation in 2022. Meyer has a strong interest in preserving Missouri’s natural resources. She and her family spend much of their summer weekends camping, kayaking, boating, and fishing the Gasconade River. She and her husband own 70 acres in Maries County, which they work to preserve the natural habitat while increasing the nutrients available for healthy and thriving wildlife. They have two teenage daughters that both participated in MoNASP from elementary into their high school years. She continues to encourage and support youth hunting, fishing, and archery programs. MCHF is an organization that Meyer has followed for a couple of years, and admires the work being done to preserve Missouri’s natural resources and growing conservation partners. She supports MCHF in protecting Missouri’s natural resources and values the work being done in preserving and raising funds for the various service areas
Mark Thomas
Mark and his wife Paula Abell Thomas call Columbia home. Mark grew up in Detroit but has family roots in Missouri. His academic background is in archaeology and history, and he worked for the State Historical Society for a dozen years before joining the Advancement Team at Mizzou. Mark retired from MU last January after 27 fulfilling years. As a Senior Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations, he had the opportunity to build campus-wide relationships between diverse MU faculty and corporate and foundation leaders. He hopes to use these skill sets and experience to enhance MCHF’s programs, and to help sustain the Missouri Conservation Department’s brilliant work.
Mark and Paula have been bitten by the “birder bug,” and Paula is an award-winning nature photographer. They have visited at least one-third of Missouri’s 1,000+ conservation areas and think of Eagle Bluffs as a “second home.” Mark also enjoys hiking and kayaking, and both he and Paula share a deep appreciation for MDC’s commitment to managing wildlife and natural areas for the benefit of all Missourians to enjoy. Mark believes that our conservation areas and wildlife management practices are the gold standard for America and feels that it’s an honor to work with the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation to help sustain and grow these remarkable resources!
Ken Babcock, Ex-Officio Advisor
Ken Babcock of Jamestown worked for the Missouri Department of Conservation from 1970 through 1997. He worked as a waterfowl research biologist, Assistant Chief and Division Chief of Wildlife Division, and Assistant Director from 1989-1997. After retiring from MDC, Ken went to work for Ducks Unlimited retiring in 2013 as Senior Director of Conservation. After retiring, he moved back to Missouri. He is a life member of the Conservation Federation of Missouri, a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation and a member of The Wildlife Society for more than 50 years. During his career he was actively involved with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Midwest and Southeast Associations of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Mississippi Flyway Council and Technical Section, The Wildlife Society and served on the Corps of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board.
Jason Sumners, Ex-Officio
Jason Sumners serves as the 10th Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) since its formation in 1937. The Missouri Conservation Commission announced Sumner’s selection effective June 1, 2024. Sumners previously served as the deputy director of resource management for MDC and brings a wealth of of leadership experience in conservation to the role. He began his career at MDC in 2008 as a private lands deer biologist and later became the head of the state’s deer management program. With both field and leadership experience, Sumners has been instrumental in developing the agency’s strategic and operational direction. Sumners received a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Missouri and a Master of Science in Biology from Mississippi State University. He is a National Conservation Leadership fellow, professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club, active with many non-government organizational partners, has represented MDC on numerous regional and national committees, and has been recognized by the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for his leadership in science-based approaches to wildlife conservation. He has published popular and scientific articles on wildlife, natural resources management, and conservation relevancy. Sumners grew up in the small town of Lincoln, Mo., where his love for the outdoors began. His interests include hunting, fishing, and camping. He and his family live in Hartsburg, Mo.
Ray Wagner, Ex-Officio
Ray Wagner serves as Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Missouri Conservation Commission, appointed by Governor Mike Parson in 2023 and confirmed by the Senate in 2024. He previously spent more than 25 years with Enterprise Holdings as Senior Vice President of Global Government and Public Affairs. He earlier held senior roles in Missouri State Government including Chief Legal Counsel to Governor John Ashcroft and Director of the Department of Revenue, and most recently First Assistant Attorney General and Chief Counselor to AG Andrew Bailey. Nationally, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Treasury IRS Oversight Board, serving 10 years including a term as chair. Ray has also contributed extensively to civic and nonprofit leadership, and he taught tax law at Washington University School of Law for 25 years. A lifelong outdoorsman, Ray is active in Ducks Unlimited and the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance and enjoys hunting, fishing and hiking at his Warren County property and duck club in St. Charles County. He earned degrees from St. Louis University, the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law and Washington University School of Law. Ray and his wife, Ann, live in Town and Country and have three children and five grandchildren.
Carroll Wilkerson, Ex-Officio Advisor
Carroll Wilkerson is both Founder and Senior Wealth Advisor at Wilkerson Advisory Group, a financial planning firm in Columbia, Missouri. He has been a financial advisor for 40 years. Mr. Wilkerson received a bachelor’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Management from the University of Missouri in Columbia in May of 1984. Upon graduation, he worked for the Department of Conservation at the Fountain Grove Conservation Area. He began his career with Waddell & Reed in August of 1985 in Kansas City, and earned the Certified Financial Planner™ certification in November 1993. Since, he founded Wilkerson Advisory Group and strives to offer superior financial planning to the mid-Missouri community. Mr. Wilkerson has always been passionate about the outdoors. He is an avid hunter, especially of white tail deer. Some of his most enjoyable days are spent in northeast Missouri on the family farm observing and hunting deer. He has been very active in the past with Boy Scouts of America and served as an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 6 in Columbia. He assisted each of his three sons in obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout. He is also an active supporter of Ducks Unlimited. He and his business partner were the main sponsor of the Women for Wetlands program in Columbia for several years. Mr. Wilkerson is also a member of the NRA and the Conservation Federation of Missouri. He and his wife Judy have been married over 30 years and have 5 children: Ryan, Eric, Adam, Kelly and Ashley.
