THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release October 24,
2000
PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES KENNETH LEE SMITH TO SERVE AS
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
The President announced today his intent to nominate Kenneth Lee Smith
to serve as Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, U.S.
Department of Interior (DOI).
Mr. Kenneth Lee Smith of Hot Springs, Arkansas, currently serves as
the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S.
Department of Interior. In this capacity, Mr. Smith directed staff in the
Office of the Secretary and served as Liaison to the White House and other
Federal Agencies. From 1997 to 1998, Mr. Smith was the Executive Director
of the Ozark Natural Science Center, a non-profit education foundation
where he secured funding for programs and conducted community outreach.
From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Smith served as Director of External Affairs at DOI.
As Director, Mr. Smith coordinated administrative policy with conservation,
business, and professional associations interacting with the Department of
the Interior. In addition, Mr. Smith was the Deputy Director of
Congressional Affairs at DOI from 1994 to 1995. In this capacity, Mr.
Smith oversaw legislation affecting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
National Park Service, and the National Biological Survey. From 1993 to
1994, Mr. Smith began his extensive career with DOI as the Deputy Director
of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where he managed the Congressional
and Public Affairs Office, the Wildlife and Sportfishing Restoration
Federal Aid grant programs, and Partnership Initiatives. Mr. Smith also
served as Assistant to Governors Bill Clinton and Jim Guy Tucker advising
them on natural resources and cultural issues from 1989 to 1993.
Mr. Smith received a B.S. in Biology from Southern Arkansas University
and a M.S. in Biology from Arkansas State University.
The Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks is responsible
for those duties of the Secretary of the Interior, which involve the
conservation, utilization and preservation of the fish, wildlife,
recreation, historical, cultural, and park resources of the nation. The
Assistant Secretary provides policy guidance and administrative oversight
for the programs and initiatives of the National Park Service and the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The Assistant Secretary is
responsible for ensuring that a careful balance is struck between allowing
public use of national parks and wildlife refuge lands while preventing
such use from being adverse to the resources themselves. Additionally, the
Assistant Secretary oversees the management and enforcement of the
Endangered Species Act.
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