Local News

New Forest Supervisor Announced

Apr 03, 2015

The Pacific Northwest Region of the USDA Forest Service announced Mike Williams as the new Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Supervisor this week.

“I am thrilled to announce the selection of Mike Williams as the new Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Supervisor,” said Jim Peña, Pacific Northwest Regional Forester. “Mike is a proven leader and he brings an extensive set of skills and experience to the Northwest spanning fire ecology, restoration and natural resource management. His experience in community relations and collaboration will be a great asset to the Forest and Region.”

Mike Williams is currently the Forest Supervisor on the Kaibab National Forest in the Southwestern Region 3, where he has been a leader in the Four Forest Restoration Initiative. With over 30 years of service with the Forest Service, he has a wide breadth of experience as a long-time line officer, and in technical fields, including range, fire and restoration forestry in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 including a special assignment to Capitol Hill. During his time on the Kaibab NF, he has reintroduced fire as a management tool, resulting in excellent results on the ground. He has developed and maintained excellent community relations and successful collaboration efforts.

"I started my permanent Forest Service career in the Pacific Northwest and am really excited to return,” said Mike Williams. “I look forward to the challenges and rewards of working with the dynamic communities and employees of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.”

Mike Williams is a native of southern Minnesota, and grew up in a small agricultural town north of the Iowa border. He holds a BS degree in Forest Resource Management from the University of Minnesota College of Forestry. His first permanent job with the U.S. Forest Service took him to the Siuslaw National Forest on the Oregon coast in 1977. Subsequent jobs took him to Northern California and assignments on the Klamath, Plumas and Lassen National Forests. He was District Ranger on two forests in the northern Sierra Nevada’s for more than a dozen years, and has served on the Forest Management staff at Forest Service national headquarters.

Mike highly values community service and has been a member of Rotary International since 1986, and the Rotary Club of Williams, AZ throughout his tenure on the Kaibab NF. As a member of the Society of American Foresters since 1976, he’s served several times in chapter and state society chairman roles.

Mike’s report date is May 26^th. He replaces Mike Balboni who retired last year.