Montana Wildlife Federation Welcomes Conservation Leader Frank Szollosi as new Executive Director

The Montana Wildlife Federation has announced that Frank Szollosi has been hired as its new Executive Director and will begin in June.

“It’s never been more important to connect Montanans with wildlife, habitat and the outdoors, and to protect access for people today and in the future. I’m both humbled and excited to be asked to take the reins of Montana’s oldest and largest state-based wildlife conservation organization,” Szollosi said. “MWF’s legacy reflects the vision, commitment and hard work of generations of board members, staff, affiliate organizations, conservation partners and, of course, MWF members. After a decade of building the conservation movement with the National Wildlife Federation, I’m thrilled to take responsibility alongside everyone at MWF today to elevate members’ voices to protect Montana’s wildlife, land, waters and hunting and fishing heritage for future generations.”

Szollosi has spent over 25 years chasing fish with his fly rod, and enthusiastically joining annual hunts with friends and colleagues. Alongside his wife and four children, Frank enjoys time kayaking, downhill skiing and backpacking.

Frank comes to MWF from the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes office in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he directed climate policy. In that role his focus was on protecting freshwater fisheries, the outdoor economy, and sources of drinking water. He also served on NWF’s national campaigns team advocating policies that protect, restore and connect habitat such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund and defense of public lands; transforming conservation to meet new challenges; and connecting more Americans to wildlife. Szollosi earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Utah and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan. He has extensive experience in government as both a staffer and a local elected official. Szollosi said he looks forward to working with the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and other state agencies, as well as landowners, businesses, tribal governments, federal partners and Montana cities and counties.

“We’re thrilled to have Szollosi take over to build on MWF’s role as the leading grassroots wildlife conservation organization in our state,” said Tom Puchlerz, MWF president. “Frank will guide us as we continue to engage all Montanans as we grow and work for more conservation wins for wildlife, habitat and access.”

MWF secured numerous conservation victories since its formation in 1936, when hunters joined landowners to restore depleted wildlife in Montana. These victories have included the best-in-the-nation stream access law in the 1980s, a ban on captive wildlife game farms and canned hunting operations in 2000, and repeated victory over efforts to sell and transfer federal public lands. In recent years, MWF has helped build bipartisan support for science-based wildlife management and funding for Habitat Montana and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Szollosi takes over for Dave Chadwick, who served as Executive Director since 2013. MWF is as strong as ever in its 84-year history, with more than 5,000 members and supporters and 18 affiliate organizations in Montana. MWF has staff in Helena, Billings and Missoula and partners with dozens of conservation groups and hunting and angling organizations to work on key issues.

For more information, please contact:

Frank Szollosi, (734) 660-5657

Tom Puchlerz, MWF President, (406) 274-6204

Nick Gevock, MWF Conservation Director, (406) 533-9432