About Conservation Commissioners
Per the Constitution of Missouri, Section 40(a):
- There are four members appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, not more than two of whom shall be of the same political party.
- They shall have knowledge of and interest in wildlife conservation.
- They serve a term of six years beginning on the first day of July of consecutive odd years.
- They receive no salary or other compensation, but get reimbursed for travel and other expenses.
What do Conservation Commissioners do?
- Appoint the director of MDC.
- Serve as MDC’s policy makers.
- Approve Wildlife Code regulations.
- Strategic planning.
- Budget development and major expenditure decisions.
Title
Raymond T. (Ray) Wagner Jr., Town and Country, Chair
Republican – term expires July 1, 2029
Raymond T. (Ray) Wagner, Jr. has been an avid outdoorsman all his life, actively supporting conservation issues. He is active with Great River Habitat Alliance and the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation. He is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, Ducks Unlimited, and a member of Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever.
Wagner most recently served as First Assistant AG and Senior Counselor in the Office of Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Global Government & Public Affairs for Enterprise Holdings; the Missouri Director of Revenue; Chief Counsel to Missouri Governor John Ashcroft; and law clerk to Chief Justice Andrew Jackson Higgins of the Missouri Supreme Court.
Wagner holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri - Kansas City; an MBA and Bachelor of Arts from Saint Louis University; and a Master of Laws degree from Washington University where he was also an adjunct professor of tax law for over 25 years.
Title
Frank H.B. Kruse, Smithville, Vice Chair
Independent — term expires July 1, 2031
Mr. Kruse is the president of Martin Hill Advisors. He previously served as the vice-president of business development and marketing for Sekisui XenoTech LLC. Kruse is a member of several conservation organizations, including the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and Johnny Morris Institute of Fisheries. He previously served as an international marketing representative for the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Kruse holds a master’s degree in economics from North Carolina State University.
Title
Edward C. Clausen, Centertown, Secretary
Independent — term expires July 1, 2031
Mr. Clausen is a partner at Newman, Comley and Ruth P.C., specializing in defending medical malpractice claims. Clausen is an active member of several organizations, including the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He previously served on the board of directors for the Friends of the Eleven Point River. Clausen earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law.
Title
Margaret F. (Margy) Eckelkamp, Washington, Member
Republican — term expires July 1, 2027
Margaret F. (Margy) Eckelkamp is a communicator and journalist with an emphasis in agriculture and technology. She is the editor of The Scoop for the Farm Journal. Eckelkamp serves as a mentor and network member for AgLaunch, a technology accelerator, and for Missouri State University's Missouri Small Business Development Center.
She is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia with a degree in agricultural journalism and a minor in agricultural economics. She is a member and past chair of the Griffiths Leadership Society for Women, has earned the Mid America Crop Life Association's Ruth White Media Award, and was selected as a Mizzou '39 recipient, which recognizes the top 39 MU students in their class.
Eckelkamp brings her personal passion for conservation, as well as her professional background in agriculture and communications, to help the Commission and MDC in the work we do. She lives in Washington, Mo., with her husband and two children.