Huffaker Chosen for Director

Meeting by conference call Feb. 13, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to hire department veteran Steve Huffaker to be director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Huffaker has worked for Fish and Game since 1984. The motion to hire also awarded a 15 percent pay increase, bringing his salary to about $97,750. Huffaker graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor's degree in fish and wildlife biology in 1968, then served in the U.S. Army from 1968-1970. He worked for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources from 1970-1984, holding the positions of fishery biologist, hatcheries supervisor and regional supervisor. Huffaker has held several management positions since starting with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in 1984, including anadromous fish hatchery superintendent, anadromous fish coordinator, state fish hatcheries manager, bureau chief in both the Bureau of Fisheries (1989-97) and Bureau of Wildlife (1997-present) and acting deputy director. He represents Idaho on the Pacific Flyway Council and Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee and is active on numerous committees for the Western and International Associations of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Current acting director Al Van Vooren will return to his previous position as deputy director.