New U.P. DNR chief coming soon

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MARQUETTE - The new head of the Department of Natural Resources in the Upper Peninsula, Stacy Welling, will be taking up her new duties soon, and said she looks forward to the job and its Marquette location.

Welling, originally from Powers, is making the transition right now from her job as U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak's deputy chief of staff to the U.P. field deputy position for the DNR.

She will begin work in Marquette Dec. 1, and was hired by DNR Director Rebecca Humphries to replace retired field deputy Jim Ekdahl, according to DNR representative Mary Dettloff. In the interim, Tom Courchaine had been acting U.P. field deputy.

Welling said her U.P. roots gave her a lifelong interest in the outdoors.

"Anyone who knows me knows where to find me in November," she said. "If I'm not working, I'm in the blind."

Welling said she pursued environmental studies in college before getting a bachelor's degree in business management and public relations from Northern Michigan University. She also holds a master's degree in public administration from Northern, according to information from the DNR.

As a teenager she had wanted to work for the DNR, she said, but took a different path on her way there. Welling has previously worked as Gov. Jennifer Granholm's representative in the Upper Peninsula.

"I know it's a kind of roundabout way to get there," she said. "People might say, oh, she's been in D.C. and worked for the governor, how does this fit? But if you look at what's not on the paper, so to speak, my personal and family background, it really is a natural fit," she said.

Welling's grandfather was a DNR conservation officer, according to information from the DNR. She added she feels the job will use her strengths and her experience as an administrator.

"The focus is really on building and maintaining relationships," Welling said. "Not only am I the U.P. liaison for the director (of the DNR), but I'm the liaison from the U.P. - the people and their concerns - to the director."

Dettloff said day-to-day DNR operations are run by supervisors for each division, such as law enforcement and wildlife management.

Local sportsmen's group representatives said they look forward to Welling listening to their concerns and working to address them.

"Hopefully, she can work with the different groups in the area, more than anything else, to listen to the local sportsmen's groups about what their problems are and what their concerns are," said Ron Laitinen of Negaunee, a board member for the Central U.P. Sports Fishing Association.

George Lindquist, a trustee with U.P. Whitetails of Marquette County, and a member of the Western U.P. Citizen Advisory Council for the DNR, said he hopes to work with Welling on many issues, including winter deer habitat.

"She was a help to our organization when we were requesting to get a second Natural Resources Commission commissioner on there from the U.P.," he said. "I'm hopeful that she can help us with some U.P. issues."

Lindquist noted the last two field deputies were long-time conservation officers, but the job involves good listening and good management skills, which he said Welling has.

"We're hopeful on this. It's kind of odd that they didn't pick someone from the DNR, but she's helped us in the past," he said.

State legislators gave Welling high recommendations.

State Rep. Steve Lindberg said she has the qualities needed for the job.

"She's a very hard worker, a great communicator, and she's had a lot of experience in the state government. She knows who to talk to," Lindberg said. "In all candor, I think one of the things we can do better at all levels of government is communicate, and Stacy is a great person to help us do that."

State Senator Mike Prusi said Welling's experience at the state and federal levels will be helpful to the DNR.

"I've known Stacy for a number of years, and I think she'll do a great job," he said. "She's from the U.P., she has strong family ties here, her grandfather was a conservation officer, and she understands the U.P. way of thinking and the lifestyle and the issues here."