Business Session Speakers

Carlton Ward Jr.

Carlton Ward Jr is a conservation photographer, Emmy Award–winning filmmaker, and National Geographic Explorer. He founded the Florida Wildlife Corridor project in 2010 and created Wildpath, an organization dedicated to using storytelling to inspire the protection of wildlife corridors. Carlton and Wildpath spearheaded the successful campaign for the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act in 2021 and, in partnership with National Geographic, launched the Connected Planet project in 2025 to accelerate the protection of wildlife corridors globally. Carlton’s work is featured in the National Geographic film Path of the Panther, and he is currently leading a conservation project focused on the underappreciated beauty of the Gulf of Mexico. His Florida heritage dates back eight generations, including a family ranch that protects a piece of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and a childhood spent exploring the Gulf — experiences he and his wife, Suzie, share with their three children, Eldridge Ann, Nell, and Carlton III.

Zippy Duvall

As president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Zippy Duvall is the leading voice in Washington for more than five million members. He is a third-generation farmer from Georgia. He and his son operate a beef cow herd, raise broiler chickens, and continue to restore the farmland that has been in the family for more than 90 years.

During his decade of leadership, Duvall’s influence has helped to improve everyday life for farmers and ranchers across the country. From meetings in the Oval Office to the Capitol, he has built a foundation of trust to achieve historic updates to farm programs and secure critical aid for those hit hard by natural and economic disasters. He played a key role in defeating misguided regulations and securing a fair tax code for farmers. He is a champion for trade and finding new market opportunities at home and abroad.

Duvall was honored by the National 4-H Council as a founding luminary and named one of the most influential people in Washington. Prior to being elected AFBF president, he was president of the Georgia Farm Bureau and served on the AFBF board of directors. He began his leadership journey as chair of the Young Farmer & Rancher Committee.

Duvall and his wife, Jennifer, enjoy spending time on their farm. They have six children and nine grandchildren.

Arnie Bellini

Arnie Bellini is a prominent American technology entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for founding ConnectWise, a Tampa-based software firm that he grew into a global industry leader before its landmark $1.5 billion sale in 2019. Currently serving as the CEO of Bellini Capital, he focuses on investing in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence while spearheading significant philanthropic initiatives that bridge the gap between technology and the environment. Through his "Live Wildly" initiative and his leadership in passing the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, Bellini has been instrumental in securing billions in state funding to protect millions of acres of "green infrastructure." His nonprofit, Live Wildly Foundation, advances this mission by partnering with NGOs, public agencies, and local communities across Florida to amplify conservation impact, accelerate funding, and elevate awareness of the state’s critical natural resources. This commitment to the state's future is also reflected in his record-breaking $40 million gift to the University of South Florida to establish the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing, aimed at transforming the region into a global hub for high-tech talent.  

Ken Eubanks

Ken Eubanks serves as Chief Executive Officer of Rather Outdoors, an industry-leading outdoor consumer products company with a portfolio of some of the most important names in the lexicon of fishing. Ken has led a successful five-year transformation of the company, underpinned by exceptional organic growth strategies and a host of robust category expansions. Within the last 24 months, Ken’s executive team has successfully merged five separate companies with a collective track record of exceptional retail support systems, harmonized distribution networks, and most notably, industry-leading innovations that have impacted fishing culture in 35 countries spanning four continents. Today, Rather Outdoors represents the very best the fishing industry has to offer. The team remains committed to their loyal consumers and to the legacy of the founder- and family-owned beginnings of the company’s 17 differentiated brands.

Previously Ken served a number of capacities at Pure Fishing. He completed his tenure as Pure Fishing’s President in 2017. He holds an accounting degree from the University of South Carolina and subsequent CPA, CMA and CFA certifications. When Ken is not with his team at Rather, or with his family in South Carolina, he will almost always be found on the water in hot pursuit of the elusive largemouth bass – or as he calls it with his management team, “engaged in product testing.”

When Ken is not leading his team at Rather, or with his family in South Carolina, he will almost always be found on the front of his bass boat with a rod in his hand, enjoying the great outdoors.

Charles “Chuck” Smith, Outgoing Chairman of the Board, Ducks Unlimited

Chuck is the Founder and Chairman of National Guard Products. A long-time DU volunteer and native Memphian, Chuck served as Ducks Unlimited Inc.’s 46th President from 2022-2024 and now serves as Chairman of the Board. He is also a Director on the DUC Board. Chuck divides his time between Memphis, Tennessee, Vero Beach, Florida, and his hunting and fishing properties in Arkansas, including the Circle T Duck Club in Stuttgart – a property protected in perpetuity through a conservation easement held by WAT. Chuck is also a member of the historic Menasha Hunting and Fishing Club in Turrell, Arkansas.

 Robert “Bob” S. Hester, Jr., Secretary, Ducks Unlimited Inc., Germantown, Tennessee

Bob is a retired Managing Partner at Deloitte Services LP in Memphis, Tennessee, and has brought his financial acumen to DU as a member of our Board of Directors since 2008. As a long-time Assistant Treasurer and a former Board Treasurer, he has been recognized by DU for his exemplary leadership of our organization’s financial resources. Bob was elected to his current position of Secretary in 2024 and is also recognized as an Emeritus Trustee for Wetlands America Trust. He enjoys spending time outdoors and, depending on the season, can be found hunting, fishing, or golfing.

Bill Ansell, Treasurer, Ducks Unlimited

Bill is an Assurance and Tax Partner with Ham, Langston & Briezina, LLP. A practicing CPA for over 35 years, he has extensive experience in individual and estate tax planning. Bill's passion for wetlands and waterfowl conservation has called him to serve as a Ducks Unlimited volunteer for more than three decades. Bill completed his term as DUMAC President in 2024 and currently serves as a Director on the DUMAC Board and Ducks Unlimited Inc. Board Treasurer. He also chairs the DUMAC Development Committee.

Bob Spoerl, Outgoing President, Ducks Unlimited

Bob is the retired President of Premium Brands, a Miller distributor. A volunteer for more than thirty years, Bob was elected Ducks Unlimited Inc.’s 47th President at the National Convention in June 2024. Bob also serves on both the DUC and DUMAC Boards and leads several national committees. An avid waterfowler, deer and elk hunter, Bob is also a passionate conservationist. He splits his time between Waupaca, Wisconsin, and Scottdale, Arizona. He manages his Wisconsin property for maple syrup production and is a member of the historic Ne Pee Nauk Duck Club in Wisconsin.

Rex Schulz, Incoming President, Ducks Unlimited

Rex recently retired as a pathologist with Blessing Hospital. He earned his medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. A longtime volunteer leader and resident of Quincy, Illinois, Dr. Schulz serves as First Vice President of DU’s Board of Directors, a member of numerous national committees and continues to be an active committee member for his hometown Quincy Chapter. He is also a member of the Duck Head Club in Arkansas.

Rich Smith, Chief Development Officer, Ducks Unlimited

Rich is Ducks Unlimited’s Chief Development Officer. He previously held the roles of National Director of Development, Managing Director of Development, Director of Development and Regional Director. Rich spent time as a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Falmouth, Maine and was a partner in an independent insurance agency in Mattituck, New York before joining Ducks Unlimited.

Rich has an Associate degree in Science from Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks of New York, a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry in Syracuse and a Master of Science degree from Humboldt State University in California.

Kate Hackett, Managing Director of Lands at Ducks Unlimited

Kate is the Managing Director of Lands at Ducks Unlimited, where she leads Ducks Unlimited’s (DU) land protection program nationwide. She works alongside DU’s senior leadership to evaluate new business strategies and opportunities to accelerate land protection. She is also responsible for managing DU’s portfolio of protected lands and ensuring DU’s incoming land protection projects meet the organization’s financial, legal, and conservation standards. In her role, she oversees a diverse portfolio of conservation initiatives that have a dual-fold purpose of safeguarding the ecological integrity and economic sustainability of landscapes critical to both wildlife and communities. Kate holds two degrees from Yale University, in Political Science and Environmental Studies, and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy.

Ryan Taylor, Director of Public Policy for Ducks Unlimited

Ryan Taylor is the director of public policy for Ducks Unlimited in the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. He works closely with state policymakers in the three states, consults on federal conservation issues in DC, and has a special interest in grazing lands and agricultural public policy that helps align the goals of farmers, ranchers, sportsmen and women, and conservationists in voluntary, working lands habitat conservation.  

Taylor continues to own and manage his family’s cattle ranch near Towner, N.D., a ranch homesteaded by his family in 1903 that was inducted into the ranches division of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2010. He wrote a syndicated column called Cowboy Logic that ran in agricultural newspapers across the western U.S. and Canada for 21 years, and he did after dinner speaking and entertainment in the same region on the “roast beef circuit.”

Stephany Chavez-Kuchera

With her first DU Artist of the Year win, Texan Stephany Chavez-Kuchera takes her place among wildlife art’s most impressive new talents. Stephany came to art through her love of nature and the outdoors.  She began hunting as a teen. Stephany grew up in Columbus, Texas, surrounded by rice fields full of snow geese and specklebellies.  As she got older, she was always willing to put out decoys or help guide friends for a chance to be in the field. 

A natural talent, she drew whatever was in front of her. Had it not been for a fellow member of the Brazos Valley DU committee, Stephany might never have pursued art beyond sketches on her walls.

Lift is a striking painting that captures the powerful moment a drake blue-winged teal bursts into flight, with water splashing beneath its wings in vivid, lifelike detail. Created by Stephany Chavez-Kuchera in her debut as Ducks Unlimited's Artist of the Year, this piece reflects both her deep appreciation for wildlife and her talent for dynamic composition.

Jerad Henson

I am a native of the Mid-South and grew up just outside Little Rock, Arkansas, where I developed a lifelong passion for the outdoors—hunting, fishing, sports, and anything that kept me outside. I earned my undergraduate degree from Arkansas Tech University before moving to Memphis for graduate school. I completed both my M.S. and Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Memphis, specializing in animal physiology and ecology. My doctoral research examined how waterfowl respond to changing energetic demands and stress across the fall and winter periods.

After graduating, I spent six years as a faculty member at Christian Brothers University, ultimately serving as an associate professor. In 2023, I transitioned from academia to Ducks Unlimited, Inc., where I now serve as a project manager on the National Sustainability and Ecosystem Services Team. My team focuses on quantifying and communicating the “more-than-ducks” benefits of DU’s conservation efforts, as well as supporting our expanding role in corporate sustainability. In addition to my project management role, I also contribute as a science communicator and co-host of the Ducks Unlimited Podcast.

My connection to Ducks Unlimited runs deep. I grew up around DU—my grandfather was a devoted supporter, and my father volunteered for many years. Following in their footsteps, I became involved as a volunteer myself, first serving on my college chapter committee and now as co-chair of my local chapter.

Patrick “Pat” Kehoe, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Stonewall, Manitoba

Pat is the Acting Chief Executive Officer for Ducks Unlimited Canada. He joined the organization in 1997 and has held various leadership positions, most recently as Chief Conservation Officer. He managed the Wetlands and Coastal Habitat Program for the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy from 1986 to 1997. During his more than 35-year career in waterfowl and wetlands management, Pat has developed direct wetland conservation programs, including land securement, wetland and upland restoration, and partnered approaches to conservation. He obtained a BSc in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Western Ontario and an MSc in Zoology from the University of Guelph.

Patrick “Pat” O’Connor, President, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Pat is the Founder and Managing Partner of Blackwood Family Enterprise Services, a financial services and planning company. He was elected Ducks Unlimited Canada’s 46th President in 2024 and has been a member of Ducks Unlimited Inc.’s Board since 2022. Pat’s dedication to conservation, fundraising, and community engagement was born from his love of the outdoors. He is an avid angler, hunter, hiker and cyclist and can be found doing all of these things at his home in Lake of the Woods, Ontario.

 Jack H. Hole, President, Ducks Unlimited de Mexico, Gunn, Alberta

Hailing from the prairies of Alberta and serving as Ducks Unlimited de Mexico’s President, Jack intimately understands the importance of our continental approach to conservation. Jack has an extensive biography that spans the continent and includes serving as the top volunteer of two of the three DU organizations (Mexico and Canada). He is a current member of both the Ducks Unlimited Canada and Ducks Unlimited Inc. Boards. Retired from Lockerbie & Hole Contracting Ltd., he enjoys spending too much time hunting, fishing, and other conservation-related activities.

 Rogers “Rog” S. Hoyt, Jr., Chairman, Ducks Unlimited de Mexico, Victoria, Texas

A Texas rancher by profession, Rog oversees numerous hunting properties in his home state. An active volunteer for more than four decades, he has served as President of both Ducks Unlimited Inc. and Ducks Unlimited de Mexico’s Board of Directors. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Ducks Unlimited de Mexico, an American Director on the Ducks Unlimited Canada Board, a member of numerous national and international committees, and an Emeritus Trustee for Wetlands America Trust.

Brandy Neveldine, Director of Conservation Programs for the Completing the Cycle Initiative

Brandy Neveldine is the Director of Conservation Programs for the Completing the Cycle Initiative, overseeing conservation delivery across the 12‑state Northeast region from Maine to the Chesapeake Bay. She brings more than 15 years of conservation experience across research, management, development, and implementation. Previously, Brandy served as the DU Regional Biologist for New York, where she led on‑the‑ground wetland restoration and land protection efforts statewide. Brandy holds a master’s degree in Ecology, with a focus on fisheries and wildlife management, from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and is based out of the North Atlantic Field Office in Syracuse, New York.

Elizabeth Guthrie, Manager of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited

Since May 2023, Elizabeth Guthrie has served as Manager of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited, overseeing the organization’s conservation efforts in the state of Florida. She has over 14 years of experience working in conservation in Florida, including land management, restoration, land protection, grant funding , and non-profit leadership. Elizabeth received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and holds a master’s degree in forest resources and conservation from the University of Florida. 

Steve Maritz, Chairman, Wetlands America Trust

 Steve Maritz is the Executive Chairman of St. Louis-based Maritz Holdings and its former Chairman and CEO. Active on a variety of community and national boards, Steve serves on the Ducks Unlimited Inc. Board and is recognized as an Honorary Trustee, the organization’s highest honor. An avid outdoorsman who enjoys spending time with family, Steve is a member of the historic Dardenne Club at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, Waterhen Lodge in Canada and serves on the Ruffed Grouse Society Board. He also owns a conservation/hunting property in Missouri – Craghurst – where he actively works to improve the habitat for duck, deer, dove, turkey and quail.