Pheasants Forever Closes Denver Chapter

PairOfLabs

PairOfLabs

Active member
As some of you know I have been a strong supporter/volunteer for the MetroDenver Chapter 816 of Pheasants Forever. For the past 4 years I was the Secretary on our chapter board of directors. Recently, PF Regional Rep Bob Hix, with the blessing of National PF management, closed down our chapter with no advance warning or chance to discuss any problems. The board was totally blindsided. The regional rep did not have the common courtesy, or apparently the backbone, to even tell us to our faces. The termination was handled with letters to our president and treasurer.

It was unbelievable to me that a large organization like Pheasants Forever had no procedures for upper management to investigate and try to hear "the other side of the story". They simply believed the regional rep and allowed him to close one of the two largest chapters in Colorado, a very successful chapter ranking high nationally in expenditures on youth initiatives. For an organization like PF to cast aside the 10 board members and the thousands of hours we have volunteered over the previous years without any "due process" is shameful.

As you will see in the following letter we sent out to our roughly 1400 Denver area chapter members, our only "failure" was that Bob Hix didn't like us because we asked him to improve his professionalism and provide more transparent accounting for the financial transactions related to funds that we had donated to his causes like Farm Bill Biologists, Corners for Conservation, and No-till drill purchases.

Here's the letter.

Tom

Dear Fellow MDPF Chapter Members,

It is with great regret that we must inform you that the Metro Denver Chapter of Pheasants Forever (PF) has been shut down by the National PF Organization revoking our charter. The board members of Metro Denver PF asked Rick Young (VP Field Operations) and Sam Lawry (West Regional Director) why the chapter was shut down ? both said because ?This is about a relationship and this relationship is not going in the best interest of Bob Hix and PF?. This process was initiated by Bob with Sam Lawry after the MDPF board requested Bob to provide financial transparency for the funds donated directly to Bob for Colorado projects. The chapter was actually shut down at the request and direction of Bob Hix. No prior notification or warning was given by Bob, or National PF, before we were closed. In the board?s discussion with both Rick and Sam the conversation started with it does not matter what is said we will not change the closure of the chapter, we back our employees. There is no process within PF to arbitrate or to get chapter input prior to a chapter closing and no discussion about our chapter closing was going to happen, it is Bob?s decision only.

The board of Metro Denver PF has tried every avenue we could to reinstate the chapter but there is no process at PF National for disputing the closing of a chapter. As mentioned before the board was not informed about the closure so we could not even discuss possible resolutions as to why Bob Hix said he could not work with us. The way this was handled by PF National is considered by all the board members to be extremely unprofessional and very detrimental to a volunteer organization. However, Sam Lawry had some parting words the board will take to heart, ?I (Sam) can tell you all are very passionate about conservation and the hunting sports and I hope you find another organization to put that passion in.? Yes the board members will find another organization to put the 100?s of hours of volunteer time into.

The most important thing the board of Metro Denver wants to say is we all greatly appreciate the support and effort put into helping conservation and hunting sports by the individuals who were members of Metro Denver. We do not know what National PF has planned for the Denver area and everyone will need to make their own decision regarding the Pheasants Forever organization. The membership you have paid is with National PF and your individual memberships have not been terminated, you will continue to receive the PF magazine.

When National PF shutdown the Metro Denver chapter they seized the chapter?s bank accounts containing $95,793 and they told the chapter to turn over all physical assets which consist of our training trailer with shotguns and automated clay bird launchers. Since the $95,793 was raised within Colorado the Metro Denver board requests that the funds be used to fund events within Colorado to help offset what other chapters may be asked to fund. Prior to the closure of Metro Denver PF, checks were written in the normal course of business, that Bob Hix has instructed PF national to refuse to cash, including checks for youth outreach and habitat projects. Additionally the board would like the trailer and contents to be given to a specific chapter who does not currently have a training trailer.

There is something the membership can do to help avoid this occurring with other chapters - reach out to Howard Vincent; President & CEO, and request that there be a robust process put in place for PF Field Representatives to provide financial transparency for state projects and to avoid a chapter being shut down at the whim of one Regional Representative. Howard?s contact information is:

Howard K. Vincent

President & CEO

Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever

1783 Buerkle Circle

Saint Paul, MN 55110

p. (651) 209-4914

f. (651) 773-5500

m. (651) 336-5393

hvincent@pheasantsforever.org
 
WOW Tom,

Does not sound like the same Bob Hix that I know???? what brought all this about???? Pm me Please I am concerned, Bob is our rep. here in az.
 
Why private message? I believe this concerns about 90 percent of all people on this forum. Most are members I would think. There has to be something more to this. It's corruption like this that makes these organizations fold completely. It sounds like it was a successful chapter. The QF chapter here locally struggles bad and they keep it operating. Sounds like an audit is in order in Denver.
 
There is always two sides to the story and I think in this case it would behoove PF to get their side out.

It's never a good sign when Headquarters is asked for a financial accounting of how funds have been spent and the reaction is to squash those asking the question.

That reaction certainly carries the odor of corruption along with it.

So, what's up PF HQ? What's your side of the story? I'm sure many would like to hear that because right now you don't appear too sparkling clean.
 
"Sounds like an audit is in order in Denver"

When I first read this, I read it as "...an adult is in order in Denver".

I agreed with the "adult" interpretation. It seems like the Chapter management was somewhat blindsided. If there was a notification by Bob that there were problems. it seems like there should have been more discussion before shutting the Chapter down, especially with the value of assets. Closing a Chapter is not something that should be considered lightly.

Did the Chapter refuse to do what was asked by Bob? Was Bob the only National person involved? There are lots of answers that we don't have at the moment, but I can't see why it could not have been resolved without closing the Chapter (discussing the situation like adults). To me, this is a shortsighted move by National. Of course, I don't know how long they may have been in discussion, or what they were asked to do.

All my comments are based only on the letter, and an email I received from MDPF a few days ago, and the very limited info provided.
 
I am the Former President of MDPF. I will be happy to send you a link to the letter we sent to Bob Hix asking for financial transparency, the minutes of our Board meeting, the current and new charters if you provide your email address. You may email me at davey.steve@gmail.com or call 303-915-7170. I assure you we were never informed of any violations until the November 10, 2016 Board meeting and you will see in the minutes of the meeting we agreed to change our Sponsor table sales at the March 11, 2017 Banquet.
 
Welcome to the forum 2xGSP.
Tom
 
Based on the information you provided, I'm stunned that a national organization like PF conducted itself in such a manner.

Perhaps further investigation is in order?

Best wishes to you folks.
 
We hope to stimulate enough member feedback to PF National that they will take steps to improve their internal organization and processes to prevent this type of travesty from happening again to another chapter. There should be some type of rigorous chapter review process with involvement of more PF National managers than just the regional rep. There should be clear communication about what performance parameters are not being met. There should be a clear timeline and a detailed performance improvement plan mapped out just like in any well-managed business organization or corporation.
 
Logical, There are two letters that you should have received, the first letter has a timeline and meeting minutes as a link. If you want o discuss this I am open to a phone call 303-915-7170 or an email davey.steve@gmail.com. Let's be very clear, Bob Hix never mentioned to MDPF anything about memberships until our November 10, 2016 Board meeting. At that time he said we needed to change our policy of selling Sponsor tables and not requiring 1/2 the people at the Sponsor table to buy a membership. We agreed to correct this at our March 11, 2017 banquet. Bob Hix is lying to National; Sam Lawry, Bob's boss said it was Bob's decision to do what he wanted because Sam had to many chapters in his region to consider the chapters side. Rick Young, Vp Field Operations & Sam's boss said it was up to Bob Hix what he wanted to do and that it did not matter what the chapter said. We received no warning of the chapter closure, there was no discussion about memberships by Bob prior to November 10, 2016. The closure letter was written by James Koerber November 22, 2016 and mailed November 28, 2016. Our chapter closure had to start when we send Bob Hix a letter, attached as a link to the email you received, asking for financial transparency for funds we had given to Bob for Colorado projects and equipment. National needs to stop protecting Bob and investigate!
 
If I strip away all the well-written and believable explanations provided here, and just look at he bottom line, I see, at a minimum, a dysfunctional organization.
 
Ness, don't stereotype the entire organization due to this situation. It may be a conflict between two or three people, which got out of hand. Feathers got ruffled (no pun intended), apparently, and there may have been an overreaction.

Since we don't have all the details, I won't say the entire organization is dysfunctional. It actually may be somewhat simple to resolve. As I was a member of MDPF, I am looking into both sides. Having not attended any of the meetings (opposite side of town from where I live), I have no read on most of the personalities involved.

My final comment tonight is, even if the Chapter officers made a misstep, they are volunteers. There should be some consideration given to the people who gave their time to the chapter, and, likely, were not in similar positions in their day jobs.
 
"Not intended to be a knock on the members or the volunteers. "

Understood. I was just saying that folks should not consider all of PF National organization to be dysfunctional. I am sure the majority of what PF National does is very beneficial, and efficient. It is just our little corner of the National organization that has hit a rough spot.

I still think it can be worked-out.
 
I know there are always two sides to every story, and somewhere in the middle is usually the truth. I am interested in seeing what PF national does with this type of negative PR. I think some sort of simple explanation to at least the board members of that chapter is in order to remain "above reproach."
 
Just sent an email to PF...

I have no idea of the impact it will have, if any.

But this situation seem contrary to the clear and ethical reputation that PF has had.

Here's the text of my email:

Discussion on-going at Ultimate Pheasant online Forum site.

Information provided to-date appears to present PF in a very poor light, with intonations of possible financial malfeasance.

Here is a link to the discussion. http://www.ultimatepheasanthunting.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21646

REALLY needs to be publicly addressed by PF. (actually looks like it needs to be reversed and some protocols put in place, since PF has a fiduciary role for the thousands of members and contributors. At the moment, it appears that the MDPF (former) should have a formal, legal, investigation into the handling of monies and practices of the national organization.


You have my best wishes.
 
Maybe a good time to start an alternative to PF. Seems a little one sided that your chapter raises a solid pool of funds, only to be confiscated by PF. Maybe your 1400 members will be better off in the long run having solid control of the fruits of their efforts.
 
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