Brian Norris, Chief of Public Affairs at the U.S. Armys Environmental Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., has been named the new Assistant Regional Director for External Affairs at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (Service) regional headquarters here, the Service announced today. Norris will begin his new assignment in late December.
As assistant regional director of External Affairs, Norris will serve as the primary advisor to the Regional Director for all public affairs matters in eight Midwestern states that comprise the Services Region 3. External Affairs responsibilities include media relations, legislative and intergovernmental affairs, accomplishment reporting, Native American affairs, training, interactive (Web) technology, and internal communications. Norris replaces Susan Dreiband, who left the Service in May for a new position.
"Im excited about this opportunity to work with the Service," said Norris. "Ive been interested in the Services conservation work for many years and have always enjoyed my visits to the Midwest. Im very much looking forward to the new job, and to life in the Twin Cities area."
Norris, 50, brings more than 27 years of public affairs experience to the Service. In addition to his current position with the U.S. Army, Norris has held public affairs and communications management positions with the Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Md., Foreign Agricultural Service, Washington, D.C., Maryland State Bar Association, Baltimore, Md., and Martin Marietta Aerospace, Baltimore, Md. He also was communications director for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Northeast Region, during the aftermath of the Three-Mile Island incident.
A native of Baltimore, Norris graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism in 1972. An outdoor enthusiast, his interests include a variety of fish and wildlife pursuits as well as snowmobiling and motorcycling. He and his wife, Linda, plan to reside in the Twin Cities area.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our Home Page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
