Meet Our Leadership Team

Blessed to serve as your Executive Director, the majority of my time is spent working to expand our program, educate the general public on the negative impacts of overabundant wolf populations, generating funding for wolf harvest reimbursements and generally promoting F4WM’s Mission. A leader is only as good as the support system behind them, and F4WM has a top notch Board and panel of officers, who all hold integrity at the forefront of F4WM’s priorities. They make me proud to be part of this team! From educating the public, to working to unite sportsmen voices and bringing that voice to State Game Commissions and Legislators, to overseeing our website and social media outlets, to spreading knowledge at tradeshow events, to generating funding for wolf harvest reimbursements– everything we do at F4WM takes a team effort. Although I am not one of the 9 original founders of F4WM (as many mistake me to be), I am very passionate about our cause, and couldn’t be prouder of those who stepped into this fight before me. I know how blessed I am to get to be part of it all!

My own efforts in wolf management taught me quickly that successfully harvesting wolves takes time, dedication, patience, perseverance, and a lot of gas money. Although I trap a few each year, targeting wolves has been an ongoing bout of hard learned lessons, and is far more work than I ever expected. I truly believe in this program and know that many of Idaho’s top wolfers could not continue to remove wolves without F4WM. Contrary to the belief of some, I am not Anti-Wolf. In fact, having spent the past 10 years studying them intently, often over 200 days per year in the field, the more time I spend around wolves, the more respect I have for them. They are an amazing predator and are extremely smart. Unfortunately they also breed much faster than sportsmen can harvest them, so managing their numbers is an increasingly difficult task!

With 50 years of age fast approaching, and all three of our children now grown and living their own lives, I am well aware of how blessed I am to have my wife Naomi by my side in most of the work I do for F4WM. We spend our “time off” working around our property, enjoying the Mountains we call “Home” in North Idaho, or traveling to pursue bucket list fish in far away places. Once a very passionate back-country Mule Deer and Elk hunter, I grew up off the grid, and have always been drawn to fish and wildlife science, biology, and conservation. (Not to be confused with Preservation!). Having a broad work history spanning everything from Carpenter to Residential Building Contractor, to Industrial Pipe Crew Foreman, to Wildlife Technician for Idaho Fish and Game, The work I do now for F4WM is by far the most rewarding.

“United we stand, Divided we fall” – Is a mantra constantly on my mind. Now more than ever, All Sportsmen, Ranchers, and Concerned Citizens, need to stand together to ensure the longevity of our heritage, and way of life… In the words of one of our Founding Fathers, “Lace up your Boots, and Pass the Hat folks, We’ve Got a Job to do!”

Email: Justin@f4wm.org

Growing up in the Idaho panhandle during the 60s and 70s, Robert heard his share of elk hunting stories from his father and older siblings. As soon as he was able, Robert joined his family on their annual meat gathering expeditions. Come evening, when his father led the grace before meal, elk was often the main dish. Elk hunting was also the main subject at many a meal. Robert enjoyed trapping bobcat, coyote, muskrat, pine martin, and other furbearers during his teen years. Following in his father’s footsteps, Robert and his wife, Karen, raised their twelve children on a healthy diet of elk and outdoor adventures.

Robert started working in the logging business as a timber faller in 1979. In 1989 He started his own logging business and continues to work as a logging contractor these 30 years later. Working in the forest keeps him close to the land and the animals that live there in. His eldest sons had just gotten the taste for elk hunting when the reintroduced Canadian wolves decimated the local elk herds. A few years’ later Canadian wolves were delisted and Idaho opened hunting and trapping seasons. Robert stepped up to the plate and took his first wolf in 2010 by hunting and has caught over 40 wolves since. He continues to trap and hunt wolves in an effort to help Idaho’s struggling ungulate populations.
Robert was the 50th member of the Foundation for Wildlife Management, the first member to receive a reimbursement check and, the first lifetime member. He was elected to the F4WM board of directors in August of 2016 and became President in August of 2018. Robert enjoys working with the determined F4WM team, to help restore balance amongst wildlife, and pass on abundant opportunity to future generations.

Email: Robert@f4wm.org

My name is Gary Finney. I am co-owner of Finney custom sawing which is a logging and custom milling company in the Coeur d’Alene area. My wife of 35 years, Mary Jo and I have Four children, Sarah, Rachel, Ben and Will. I am serving as vice president of F4WM. I was born in Coeur d’Alene in 1962. The ninth child in 11 of a logging family. I was in the woods working with my dad and brothers at a very young age. We worked and played in the mountains, rivers and lakes of North Idaho, the mountains drawing me more than the water. I became fascinated with the antlered critters that roam our beautiful mountains. I love hunting the deer, elk and moose especially, be it bow, muzzle loader or rifle. I have spent countless days gathering up shed antlers, numbering and cataloging them ever since I was a boy. I enjoyed many years of hunting the abundant big game in the Idaho panhandle, taking many nice trophies and being blessed with that wonderful meat. Then came the wolf and things started to change. Over the past ten years I have seen our elk numbers drop significantly. With the opening of the 2009 and 2010 wolf season, I started hunting the wolves. Taking wolf number 1 in that first season. Then came trapping and I became hooked on that. I do it to help our elk, deer and moose and to bring what balance I can to the predator, prey dynamic. I have driven over 10,000 miles checking my wolf traps this season of 2018/2019. Trapping is a big commitment, but I really enjoy being out there, hopefully making a difference. Thank you for your support of F4WM. Gary Finney.

Email: Gary@f4wm.org

Life-long hunter and fisherman. Born (1943) and raised in Montana. Following high school work as a logger and hunting guide while attending the University of Montana. Drafted into the US Army in the fall of 1965. Commissioned as an infantry officer, attended airborne school, ranger school, and flight school. Served 22 months as a huey/cobra pilot in Vietnam. Obtained a graduate degree from Central Michigan University, attended the US Army Command and General staff school retiring from the US Army as the professor of military science, University of Montana in 1992. Served as the family back country packer owning horses and mules for the past 50 years. Life member of RMEF, NRA and North American Hunting Club. Served as the Panhandle Fish and Game Commissioner (2005-2013). Currently serving as the Idaho Sportsmen representative to State Wolf Control Board. Totally dedicated to F4WM’s mission of sensible wolf management in maintaining healthy wildlife populations. Committed to opposing anti-hunting organized efforts that line the pockets of attorney’s and in most cases do nothing for the benefit of wildlife or conservation programs.

Email: Tony@f4wm.org

I am a fourth generation Sandpoint native and I graduated from Sandpoint High in 1988. I then spent 4 years in the U S Navy on the USS Constellation CV-64 Aircraft Carrier traveling the world. I came home to the family business in 1992. I lived in Hope Id for 20 years where I raised three wonderful sons all attending Clark Fork High. I have been an avid hunter all my life mainly archery and rifle for big game. I was a volunteer fire fighter for 20 years when I lived in Hope. I have been a member of numerous boards and committees including the Panhandle Building Contractors Association. Hope volunteer fire fighter, Clark Fork Boosters, I also am an assistant coach at Clark Fork High school for the football program. I have spent 25 years coaching or officiating everything from Baseball, basketball and football at all ages while my boys have been growing up. I love the outdoors and all sports. The reason I am so passionate about the F4WM is like many of you I have been a outdoorsman for most of my life and over the past 15-20 years I have seen the decline in all big game with the exception of the predators. Wolfs, mountain lions, etc. I spend most of my spare time in the woods and outdoors and over the past years the animals numbers have gone down considerably especially the moose and elk. I know some areas the elk have just moved to other areas but without a doubt some units the numbers are declining if not disappearing all together. I love this community and the area and want to see my kids and grandchildren be able to enjoy the same things I have for so many years. I feel we can do that if we work with some of the other organizations and fish and game to manage our large game and bring the elk and moose and mule deer back to our back country.

Email: Eric@f4wm.org

Hello my name is Rusty Kramer and I am the President of the Idaho Trapper’s Association, President of the National Trapper’s Association and on the Board of Directors for F4WM. I live in Fairfield with my wife Missy where I farm and am a watermaster for the water district. I’ve trapped my entire life and trap everything legal to trap in Idaho including wolves. I had the opportunity to trap the first wolf ever trapped in Idaho by a private trapper in 2000, well before we had a trapping season. Since that time, I’ve been obsessed with working on wolf management in Idaho.

My family has been involved in the Idaho Trapper’s Association since before I was born. I did two terms as Director, one as a Vice President before I was elected Idaho Trapper’s Association President back in 2017. I have been working very hard on unifying the trappers of Idaho and unifying sportsmen groups. After I had recruited Justin Webb to be on the ITA board back in 2016, I expressed interest on running for a board position for F4WM. I was elected to the F4WM board in Aug of 2018. Also, I am a huge proponent of sportsmen groups working together and am excited that I am on both boards and can continue to have both groups closely working together. In July of 2025 I was elected to be the new National Trapper’s Association President and am excited about representing trappers nationwide. I am a life member of Foundation for Wildlife Management and life member of over a dozen other trapping organizations.

Email: Rusty@f4wm.org

My name is Teresa Stevens and I have been the Secretary/Treasurer for The Foundation for Wildlife Management since August 2016. I was born and raised in Bonner County, Idaho and grew up spending lots of time in the outdoors with my parents and brother. We spent most of our free time hunting, fishing, working with our 4-H animals, hiking, and berry picking. Growing up in the Idaho Panhandle has made me truly appreciate mother nature, wildlife, and exploring the beautiful area we live in. After graduating High School I took a job as a bank teller and after a few years worked my way up to the Branch Manager position- meanwhile my Husband and I bought a Pizzeria and began that adventure. After almost 10 years in the banking/financial industry I decided it was time to take all that I had learned and apply it to my own business. Since 2016 I have been running our restaurant and working for The F4WM. The core values, morality, and general kindness I’ve experienced within this group makes me proud to be part of the team!

Email: Teresa@f4wm.org

Growing up on a farm in Pennsylvania I learned the values of a sustainable harvest for both plants and animals. I played football, baseball, worked on the farm and spent the rest of my time hunting for whatever was open to hunt. From archery/rifle whitetail, black bear to gamebird and coyote hunting at night. Visiting Montana in 1988 for the first time as a child I knew I would end up here. After a couple years of active duty in the Army I moved to the Bitterroot valley where I still am today. I worked as a building contractor for about ten years until the economy took a dive in 2008. Since then, I have been working for the USFS as a range and invasive plant technician. I thankfully got a chance to see the ungulate populations before the reintroduction of wolfs and have watched them steadily decline since then. Feeling as if I needed to stop complaining about it and do something I started trapping with some friends and family. I have been fortunate enough to harvest wolves and feel as if I am making a difference. This brought me to know and grow closer to F4WM and the mission we support. I have been a board member since 2023 and very proud to be part of this hard-working team that is trying our best to support wolf management to bring back our ungulate populations that I remember from not very long ago. Thank you for your support!

Email: Chris@f4wm.org

Jeff Rennaker, 4th generation born and raised in Darby, has been the Ranch Manager for Two Feathers Ranch in Darby, MT since early 2008. Jeff and his wife have raised their 8 year old boy and girl twins on the ranch. Prior to Two Feathers Ranch, Jeff was the assistant ranch manager for Sula Peak Ranch in Sula, MT, a Range Technician for the United States Forest Service, a hunting guide for a local outfitter, and started and owned his own taxidermy business.

Jeff started beaver trapping when he was 18 years old, then foxes and coyotes, and now wolves. He and his family and friend trapping group have killed 70 wolves over the past 6 years. After managing livestock on a working ranch and seeing firsthand the devastation of wolf predation, he is passionate about managing wolf populations. Jeff is a proud Board member of F4WM.

Jeff also serves on the Board of the Ravalli County Weed District to combat noxious weeds. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing, hunting, trapping and camping with his family.

Email: jeff@f4wm.org

My name is Tom Rummel and I am a lifelong resident of Plains, Montana. I am also a veteran of the U.S. Army. In 2022 I retired from 17 years in Law Enforcement in Sanders County. 12 of those years I served as the Sanders County Sheriff. As the Sheriff I was responsible for 8 deputies, 2 detectives, a 32-person detention facility, dispatch and the Sanders County Search and Rescue. I was responsible for approximately a 2-million-dollar budget. I also served as a precinct man for the Sanders County Republican Central Committee.

Before going to work in Law Enforcement I worked for approximately 20 years in the logging industry, mostly as a timber faller. I’ve also worked as an underground miner.

All of my life I’ve had a deep-seated interest in anything that had to do with hunting and spending time in the woods. This started at an early age (about 9) hunting with my dad. My high school years were spent with 3 men who passed on their knowledge of trapping beaver, muskrats, chasing bobcats and mountain lions. This, of course included elk, deer, bear, goose, duck and grouse hunting. I also learned how to ride and pack horses. I should also include reloading ammunition.

These retirement days are spent taking care of the place, cutting fire wood, financing my hunting/reloading addictions with a part time logging job, camping and spending time on the river with my wife Shelly and 3 grandsons. I would be remiss if I did not include my new addiction, figuring out how to trap or hunting the wiley wolf.

Tom Rummel

My Name is Bernie Nelson, I am 67 years old, and I live in Oldtown, Idaho.

My love for trapping started at the young age of 10 and has only grown over the years.

I am currently a trapper education and wolf trapper certification instructor for the state of Idaho.

I am a life member of the Intermountain Fur Harvesters, Idaho Trappers Association, and the Washington Trappers Association. I am also a member of the Foundation for Wildlife Management, Upper Snake River Trappers Association, National Trappers Association, and the Sportsmen’s Alliance. I am currently the president of the Intermountain Fur Harvesters, and a board member of the Idaho Trappers Association and the Foundation for Wildlife Management.

We as trappers know the importance to educate young and old to the art of trapping. I believe as sportsmen we all need to support each other, and by doing this we will all enjoy trapping, hunting and fishing for years to come.

Bernie Nelson

My name is Lauren Lees, I have been the secretary at F4WM since November 2024. Prior to working with F4WM, I was working as an executive assistant for several years. Originally from northern Georgia, I have moved all across the country throughout the years before finally settling down in the scenic landscapes of northern Idaho. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outdoors, hiking, fishing, and hanging out with friends and family. F4WM has introduced me to so many incredible, kindhearted people and I am so grateful to be a part of such an amazing team.

Email: lauren@f4wm.org

Lauren Lees

Secretary for The Foundation for Wildlife Management, Inc.

lauren@f4wm.org 503-577-4094