National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC)

Edwin Richard (known as E.R.) Kalmbach
            Director:  1940-1954
           
Career Highlights:

• Appointed first Director of the Denver Wildlife Research Center
• Published extensively on bird and mammal research
• Drew wildlife illustrations for many government publications and painted extensively
• Designed a ruddy duck for a Duck Stamp, issued in 1941-1942
  

Cecil S. Williams
            Director:  1957-1968

Career Highlights: 

• Collaborated in the 1940s with two other Fish and Wildlife staff to design the first airboat
• Worked extensively at many wildlife refuges in the United States and Canada
• Contributed to study and management of waterfowl diseases and epizootics

Jack F. Welch
            Director:  1968-1971

Career Highlights:

• Started his government career as a biologist and later became technical advisor to government chemical processing lab in Idaho
• Led chemical repellent unit at Denver Wildlife Research Center and helped develop first nationally and internationally used mammal repellent products 
• Oversaw Research Center growth from 20 employees to over 150

Thomas G. Scott
            Director: 1972-1975

Career Highlights: 

• Worked as a university professor at Iowa State, Southern Illinois University and Oregon State University
• Served as a consultant to Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring”
• Edited the "Journal of Wildlife Management" and authored over 120 scientific publications

Charles M. Loveless
            Director:  1975-1978

Career Highlights:

• Began career with Denver Wildlife Research Center as statistician
• Authored books and publications on species from Florida Everglades to Rocky Mountains
• Served in Washington, D.C. and also as Director of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 6, Denver

Clyde J. Jones
            Director:  1979-1982

Career Highlights:

• Began government service as chief of mammal section of Bird and Mammal Laboratories of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, housed in U.S. National Museum of Natural History
• Returned to academic life in 1982 at Texas Tech University
• Published extensively, including five books, on various aspects of biology of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles

Paul A. Vohs, Jr.
            Director:  1983-1986
           
Career Highlights: 

• Worked in academia at Southern Illinois University, Iowa State, Oregon State, and South Dakota State
• Directed the Denver Wildlife Research Center organizational move from U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to USDA
• Left Denver Wildlife Research Center to become leader of Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Russell F. Reidinger
            Director:  1986-1993

Career Highlights:

• Worked at the Denver Wildlife Research Center Philippine Field Station from 1974 to late 1970s
• Conducted research at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, from late 1970s to 1984
• Left Denver Wildlife Research Center to direct USDA Center of Excellence at Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri

Richard D. Curnow
            Director:  1994-2004

Career Highlights: 

• Conducted research in diverse locations including  Kenya; Baja, Mexico; Alaska; and Colorado River in Colorado and Arizona
• Coordinated Center’s change and move from Denver to Fort Collins, CO, to become National Wildlife Research Center
• Oversaw new $50 million building, and further expansion, at Fort Collins location

Richard L. Bruggers
            Director:  2004-2008

Career Highlights: 

• Began career at Denver Wildlife Research Center as a biologist in the Section of International Programs
• Became Section Chief in 1984 for Section of International Programs
• Widely published, including book, Quelea, Africa’s Bird Pest