Melvin Womack
Melvin Womack received the President’s Meritorious Service Award for his work as the Vice President of the East Region since 2018. The region includes 13 states and the District of Columbia.
Throughout his tenure, Melvin continually assessed each state’s activity level and leadership, helped to fill vacancies and worked diligently to improve communications. Under his leadership, the Mid Atlantic Area was formed, consolidating the National Capital Area, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. This consolidation has proved very successful. Melvin also recruited a volunteer from New Jersey to represent Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
During the pandemic Melvin encouraged “wellness checks” throughout the region. He asked retirees to do the same. He encouraged them to connect with each other whenever possible for lunch, shopping, walking, etc. and to let others know about their gatherings in emails and with photos.
Melvin has seen the power of communication and connections among retirees. He distributes updates from retirees, such as the PA Bugle, John Peterson’s “Pete’s Washington Wire,” and other news he gleans from members across the region. He also monitors and shares information about farm bill policies, programs and rulemaking, and outreach to underserved, low-income communities, and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers.
He stays busy in retirement with family activities and fishing. He is an active member of SWCS in Virginia and DC, technical advisor to a conservation organization, volunteer for a political action group working for small farmers, member of National Organization of Black NRCS Employees, small group facilitator at his church and an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity.
Melvin is recognized for his outstanding leadership and his dedication to the retirees in the East Region! Congratulations Melvin!
Craig Derickson
Craig was awarded the President’s Award for Meritorious Service for his exceptional leadership of the ARCSE mentoring program over the past two and a half years. At the suggestion of Chief Terry Cosby in 2022, Craig volunteered to work with a team of national NRCS staff and ARCSE representatives which led to a memorandum of understanding between our two organizations to address the difficulties the agency was facing in a post-pandemic environment and with hundreds of new employees hired because of the Inflation Reduction Act. Many of these new employees lacked a farm background or agricultural job experience and needed highly skilled mentors and training to accelerate their ability to be effective in their jobs.
A year later the MOU was signed, and work began. Since that time, Craig has led the mentoring team in assessing mentor interests and opportunities and developing online resources, an application process, and a fact sheet for state conservationists. They have published several newsletter articles, presented basic mentoring training sessions at the SWCS annual conference, participated in ARCSE webinars, and provided guidance to ARCSE leadership.
ARCSE is dedicated to continuing to recruit and train retirees who want to be mentors. We have hopes of incorporating ARCSE mentors into the NRCS mentoring program at some time in the future.
Craig’s enthusiasm and leadership of this program is commendable, and we recognize and thank him for his outstanding efforts.
Donna Beggs
The ARCSE Board of Directors recognized Donna Beggs with the President’s Meritorious Service Award for her outstanding service as a board member and treasurer for the past six years. In her role as treasurer, Donna faithfully and accurately maintained all records related to ARCSE finances, including banking accounts, investments, membership dues, financial statements, budgets, payments and donations.
Donna’s position as treasurer required that she work with closely with the president, secretary and membership chair to track the budget and maintain accurate information about members and the business of the organization.
Donna ensured the board understood their fiduciary role and advised them on better ways to manage the organization’s money both long term and short term. Her attention to detail and commitment to her job has made ARCSE a better organization.
We congratulate Donna on this well-deserved award. She will be greatly missed but we wish her well in her next endeavors.
Community Service Awards
Rev. Dr. Clifford Jones
Rev. Dr. Clifford Jones, better known in NRCS circles as Cliff Jones, began his NRCS career in Massachusetts as a soil conservationist and retired in Alabama as state resource conservationist, after 27 years with the agency.
In 1993, Rev. Dr. Jones became the pastor of the Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church in Opelika, AL. Under his leadership, the church has grown from 300 to over 1,000 members and they have built a Worship Center and a Family Life Center. They have also constructed a Veterans Memorial to honor those who served in each branch of the military.
In addition to his ministerial duties, Rev. Dr. Jones founded the nonprofit Greater Peace Community Development Corporation in 2000. GPCDC provides affordable housing for up to 48 families in 3 to 4-bedroom homes, along with a community clubhouse. As a result of GPCDC’s accomplishments, the organization was presented with a national award for their exemplary efforts in affordable housing. GPCDC also operates a pre-kindergarten program as well as several other educational programs, including a youth leadership academy, a STEM program, a Summer Education Enrichment Program and a tutorial after-school program.
Rev. Dr. Jones serves on numerous boards in various leadership capacities. He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., president of the Southeast Alabama State Missionary Baptist Convention, president of the Alabama Association of Community Development Corporations, president of the Greater Peace Community Development Corporation, president of Lee County Alabama Department of Human Resources Board, and a member of the East Alabama Food Bank Advisory Board, Salvation Army Board, and Mercy Medical Clinic Board.
He is president of the 100 Black Men of Greater Auburn/Opelika and has served on the Boys and Girls Club Advisory Board, the Children’s Policy Council, the Owens Center Counseling Board, and the City of Auburn Board of Education, serving as its first president of color.
For his exceptional undertakings as a pastor and community leader, Rev. Dr. Jones was inducted into the Alcorn State University Hall of Honors. He also received the Humanitarian Service Award from the Auburn University School of Agriculture, the Martin Luther King Community Service Award from the Dream Day Foundation, and an Outstanding Leadership Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. He attributes his professional success to his family and his faith, which keeps him on the right path. In the coming years, Rev. Dr. Jones plans to retire and dedicate his time to his wonderful wife, writing, and traveling.
It is an honor to recognize Rev. Dr. Jones’ dedication and service with the ARCSE Community Service Award.
Bill Kunstler
After moving to Santa Rosa Beach, FL in 2016, Bill decided to put his 35-year agronomy career with NRCS to use by becoming a Master Gardener. But when he found out the training was not going to be held right away, he started looking for something else. That’s when he signed up to become a South Walton Turtle Watch volunteer.
Volunteers perform nesting surveys to locate and mark sea turtle nests. They are on the beach before sunrise looking for evidence of sea turtle crawls. Once a nest is located, it is geo located and staked. Near time for hatching, they begin monitoring the nests for survival rates. This year he is also part of a team that responds to reports of stranded sea turtles.
Bill is also a member of Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles. One of their main activities is teaching classes about sea turtles to all fourth-grade students in Walton County. Youth learn everything they need to know about sea turtles. Their mantra is “Keep our beaches clean, dark, and flat!”
As a Master Gardener, Bill educates the public about proper lawn, landscape, and garden management. He puts on workshops and makes presentations to garden clubs and other community organizations on subjects such as growing herbs, vegetable gardening, pruning, invasive plant species, and growing palms. He is also an instructor for the New Master Gardener training class, where he teaches the units for soils, fertilizers and nutrient management and plant identification. Bill also chairs the annual plant sale committee, and they raise from $4000 to $7000 each year. As recognition for all his efforts, Bill was named 2021 Florida Master Gardener of the Year.
In 2018, Bill took on another volunteer job and became a Florida Master Naturalist where he leads a monthly plant identification walk at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park near his home.
And finally, Bill’s other volunteer activity has nothing to do with his agronomy background. Each week he volunteers for six hours at a local hospital working in the kitchen, helping prepare lunch trays for the patients.
Bill has filled his life with meaningful service to others. His efforts to educate others about our natural resources, care for wildlife and serve people are exemplary. It is an honor to recognize Bill’s efforts with the Community Service Award.
Distinguished Service Awards 2024-2025
Cheryl Simmons
Cheryl received President’s Distinguished Service Award for her leadership of ARCSE as president elect, president and past president and for her service as liaison to both SWCS and Women in Natural Resources.
Cheryl encouraged the board to transition to on-line meetings during the pandemic which resulted in the first ever on-line annual meeting allowing members from around the country to participate. Subsequently, the online meeting platform has become a way of doing business.
Although ARCSE had supported the SWCS Annual Conference for several years by providing a donation to the student program, Cheryl led the effort in 2020 to enter a partnership agreement with SWCS. This successful agreement allows us to enjoy the many benefits of sponsorship of the SWCS conference and hire at least one intern each year to work with both SWCS and ARCSE to plan and support student activities and assist ARCSE with communications and marketing activities. This sponsorship has also led to the extension of the annual meeting to include a local and/or historical conservation presentation.
As part of the 50th Celebration of the ARCSE, Cheryl reached out to our Agricultural Conservation Employees Service partner, the New Solutions organization to join and financially sponsor our special occasion at the 2024 SWCS annual conference.
In 2025, Cheryl strategized with Women in NRCS to organize a ‘Coffee with Senior Conservationists’ as part of bringing recognition to ARCSE’s mentoring capabilities. Jane Hardisty, Craig Derickson and Cheryl provided career insights and opportunities to over forty newer and mid-career participants. Also, this year Cheryl worked with Becky Fletcher, Craig Derickson and members of WiN to plan our first-ever symposium on mentoring at the SWCS Conference.
From 2017 to 2021 Cheryl pursued the following actions.
- Researched the start of a Facebook page.
- Initiated PayPal membership options for online membership applications.
- Encouraged operating procedures to include a webmaster.
- Managed the webpage until the appointment of our first official webmaster.
- Served as SWCS and WiN liaison.
- Initiated collaborative efforts with new Chief Terry Cosby that led to the Memorandum of Understanding with NRCS and the ARCSE mentoring program.
Cheryl’s enthusiasm for ARCSE and SWCS is contagious. She regularly recruits members from the current and retired conservation organizations. She has mentored dozens of students and NRCS and partnership employees and has worked to set up mentoring opportunities for mentors and mentees.
On behalf of the entire board, we recognize Cheryl’s many contributions and dedicated service to ARCSE.
Dick Gooby
Dick Gooby is recognized for his service as Montana’s State Representative from 2007 to 2022. Dick is known throughout the country for his bi-monthly reports of news from retirees in Montana, including entertaining updates on the exceptional conservation and sustainability work by his forbearing wife Mary Ann.
For years, Dick has written amusing snippets for the newsletter. Members who have never met Dick, or been to Montana, embrace his writing with sheer enjoyment and pass it along to former co-workers, friends and neighbors. We hope someday that someone will write a book that includes these stories.
Along with all the other outstanding efforts to keep retirees in his state connected, Dick is one of the few 100% newsletter contributors, which is a significant accomplishment in our organization!
Despite his curmudgeon portrayal on the ranch, Dick has always kept his ear to the ground, listening to it. Something we should all try to emulate!
For his outstanding efforts as state representative for 15 years, it is an honor to recognize Dick with the President’s Distinguished Service Award.
Don Stettler
Don Stettler is the recipient of the President’s Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding work as the Oregon State Representative.
Don has served in this position for almost 20 years. During that time, he has communicated regularly with ARCSE members and other NRCS retirees, keeping them connected to each other and to the agency. He has efficiently handled all the background tasks required, such as maintaining the group’s contact list, sharing retiree news items of interest, and organizing quarterly lunches.
He is also a regular contributor to the ARCSE newsletter, sharing news from Oregon nearly 100 percent of the time. His dedication and consistency in providing state reports on a regular basis is a big factor in the popularity of the newsletter and helps encourage ARCSE membership.
Don is a great role model of what a state representative should be. His communication and interaction with his fellow retirees help his fellow retirees stay connected and well informed. In Don’s own words, he says “I have always considered it an honor to have kept the Oregon retiree organization going!”
Thank you, Don for all you have done. We congratulate you on this well-deserved award.
ARCSE 