Tech Grad Takes Over TWRA

A Tennessee Tech graduate will lead the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency beginning June 1 as Bobby Wilson becomes Executive Director.

“It’s a wonderful school, I miss my time there,” Wilson said “I had a great, enjoyable experience while I was there. And I learned so much from the wildlife degree, which is really all I ever wanted to get was a degree. But then I ended up coming back after being out for about a year and a half and getting a masters in fisheries.”

Wilson joined TWRA in 1979 where he worked in fisheries. He takes over for Ed Carter who is retiring after an 11-year run as head of the TWRA. he has served as deputy executive director since 2015.

Still, Wilson admits taking this next step is a bit overwhelming.

“That next step up, that director is just a lot bigger step than I’ve ever taken before,” Wilson said.

Wilson said TWRA’s number one role is to manage the wildlife of the Volunteer State.

“And we have such a diversity of animals from one end of the state to the other from the Mississippi, all the way up to the mountains, the Smokies and the Appalachian Mountains,” Wilson said. “It’s tremendous and we are the most bio-diverse state. When you when you put all that the wildlife and fisheries and aquatic animals together, we are the most biodiverse state in the country.”

With his years at Tennessee Tech, Wilson said he came to truly appreciate the wildlife and natural beauty of the Upper Cumberland. He said he started out as a pre-med major at Memphis State before seeing a course catalog of a cousin at Tech.

“I transferred there the next year and then, of course, all the beauty around around Cookeville and and on the plateau where it was just unbelievable,” Wilson said. “Places like Dale Hollow Lake and the Fall Creek Falls State Park. All those places were just incredible for me to be able to experience those.”

Wilson has been active in organizations on the state and national level during his career including the American Fisheries Society, Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA), and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). He has several leadership roles. and recently was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF).