FWP Director Resigns after 12 Years as Department Head (by Brett French)
By angelamontana

Posted: December 23, 2016

Long-serving Fish, Wildlife and Parks director Jeff Hagener’s last day in office was Monday. He had served 12 years as director under three different governors, a longevity rarely seen for a post that is often at the center of controversy. Hagener said the difficulties of the job wore him down, and he is looking forward to some time off to spend with family and do a little hunting and fishing.

He was first appointed to the post during Republican Gov. Judy Martz’s term and then kept on for four years by Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Schweitzer then replaced Hagener with Joe Maurier, but when Gov. Steve Bullock took office four years later, Hagener was brought back in, partly to smooth some of the feathers Schweitzer and Maurier had ruffled. Bullock is still search for Hagener’s replacement.

For more on how Hagener viewed his job and the challenges FWP faces, check out my story in the Billings Gazette at http://bgz.tt/lscub.

 

(Written by Brett French – Outdoors Editor for the Billings Gazette)
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