The board of directors of The Peregrine Fund announced today that Russ Hoeflich will serve as the new president and CEO of the organization, effective July 1, 2016.

Current Board Chair Steve Thompson stated, “The board is confident that Russ will carry on the science-driven work of The Peregrine Fund with the same enthusiasm, discipline and hands-on common sense that has built the organization into what it is today.”

Hoeflich served for 27 years as the state director of the Oregon Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), before promotion to vice president and senior policy director for TNC’s national Restore America’s Forests Program in 2014.

“Most of my career has been focused on The Nature Conservancy, where I have developed wonderful relationships with colleagues, trustees, donors, elected officials, volunteers and conservation partners,” said Hoeflich. “However, throughout my career, a deep passion for birds has driven my commitment to conservation of habitat, and so this next step seems completely natural and absolutely right.”

The Peregrine Fund was founded in 1970 to restore the Peregrine Falcon, which was removed from the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1999. That success encouraged the organization to expand its focus, and apply its experience and understanding to raptor conservation efforts on behalf of more than 100 species in 65 countries worldwide.

As vice president and senior policy director for the Restoring America’s Forests TNC Program, Hoeflich has gained a unique view into the politics, science, economics, and diverse relationships that determine forest policy and effective restoration.

Carl Navarre, chair of the search committee and immediate past chair of the organization, added, “Russ Hoeflich’s superlative career at The Nature Conservancy demonstrated the combination of tenacity and passion that the search committee believed to be essential for future leadership of The Peregrine Fund.”

In 1987, Hoeflich was named director of TNC Oregon Chapter in Portland with a staff of 10 and a budget of $500,000, serving as its director for 27 years. By 2014, there were 80 employees in eight offices across the state, supported by 32,000 members and a $16 million budget; and the Chapter had protected 505,000 acres and 425 miles of rivers and streams, including 47 nature preserves managed directly or cooperatively by TNC.

Peter Jenny, president and CEO of The Peregrine Fund for the last ten years will retire when Hoeflich joins the organization on July 1, 2016. After a more than 40-year career with The Peregrine Fund, Jenny recognized a kindred spirit, remarking, “The foundations we have laid at The Peregrine Fund are firm, but ongoing stewardship is vital so that we do not stall or slip back. Russ understands what it takes to build, maintain and grow an organization, and I welcome him.”

Hoeflich earned his B.A. in biology and B.S. in environmental science at Southhampton College (now Stony Brook University) and has a master’s in environmental management from the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University.

For more information, contact:

Erin Katzner
Director of Global Engagement
Main Phone:     208-362-3716
Direct Phone:     208-362-8277