Anthony Rynish is the owner of Rynish Forestry, his own private consultancy company. He is also a full-time faculty member at Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin. On the show, Anthony discusses why he decided to get into teaching, offers advice for young professionals out there who are not quite sure what they want to do yet, and so much more! Anthony also offers some great leadership advice and discusses what he teaches his students still trying to put their best foot forward. You do not want to miss this episode!
Key Takeaways:
[1:10] A quick intro about Anthony’s background.
[3:05] How did Anthony first get started in forestry?
[5:15] Early in Anthony’s career, he headed to Alaska. What was that experience like?
[7:30] How long would Anthony spend at each site?
[8:25] How did Anthony get started in teaching at Fox Valley Technical College? You can thank his wife for that!
[12:15] What has been the most rewarding experience in Anthony’s career so far?
[18:25] The forestry part is easy compared to the rest of Anthony’s duties!
[18:45] What lessons does Anthony wish he learned about sooner?
[22:05] What has Anthony learned the most about leading volunteers?
[25:40] How can forestry as a profession bring more value to younger people?
[29:30] What kind of mentors has Anthony had throughout his career?
[31:55] Not sure where you want to go in life/what to do? Anthony recommends trying different types of jobs to see what works for you.
[33:15] Do not be afraid to put yourself out there.
[35:30] Don’t judge Anthony, but he loves the Kung Fu Panda series (and so does his kid!).
[40:20] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Jamie Dahl is a Forester currently serving as an Assistant Director for Career & Leadership Development Center for Hospitality, Merchandising, and Recreation at Ohio University. On the show, Jamie discusses why the forestry industry needs to be better with diversity inclusion, and how it’s on all of us, no matter what your position in forestry is, to educate the public about the importance of the environment.
Key Takeaways:
[1:05] A quick intro about Jamie’s background.
[3:15] How did Jamie first get started in forestry?
[6:05] At first, Jamie didn’t really know what forestry meant, and it took her some time to learn all the ins and outs of it.
[7:20] When undergoing graduate school, did Jamie’s class have a lot of diversity?
[9:35] Jamie’s interest in diversity has propelled her into taking up more advanced degrees. Jamie discusses what her Ph.D. is about, and why she needed to get more involved in the community.
[13:00] What was Jamie’s role at Colorado State University?
[17:45] Tom admits he didn’t have his first female boss in the industry until he was 38 years old. Before that, he was pretty naive to some of the struggles women and other ethnic backgrounds faced.
[18:30] What is Jamie’s opinion about the forestry industry as a whole — the good, the bad, and the ugly?
[23:335] Building self-awareness throughout your career is a very important trait, and something Jamie wished she learned earlier in her career.
[27:10] Do your forestry professionals rely on their mentors for guidance, or do they tend to go solo? Has there been a shift in the way the younger generation sees, and uses, mentors?
[32:45] What are some things the forestry profession should start doing better, or even stopping?
[37:35] The younger generation is much more concerned about what kind of work culture they’re going into. If they don’t feel welcomed, they will look elsewhere. This is one of the reasons why diversity is so important.
[40:40] What is Jamie most proud of in her career?
[4:30] Our environment should be a priority. All of us need to be doing our part in environmental education, no matter what forestry position you’re in.
[50:05] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Lee Mueller is the Project Developer and Forestry Specialist for The Davey Tree Expert Company. He is also a Certified Arborist and Registered Forester. On today’s episode, Lee discusses why it’s important to develop your personal brand, the benefits of being curious and exploring different paths in the forestry industry, why he prefers colleagues to mentors, and so much more!
Key Takeaways:
[1:05] A quick intro about Lee’s background.
[2:25] How did Lee get started in forestry?
[8:00] Lee loves working in forestry because he cares about people. Why is this so important in this line of work?
[13:10] In addition to forestry, what else does Lee like to do?
[14:44] What kinds of lessons has Lee learned that he wished he learned sooner?
[17:20] Developing a personal brand is important. Think a bit about what you want people to know you for.
[20:20] What lessons has Lee learned about leadership?
[23:25] It’s important to learn how to let go and delegate tasks to someone who may be a bit more qualified than you. Remember, you can’t do it all!
[25:35] Lee discusses the importance of colleagues, vs. mentors, and the difference between the two, in your life.
[28:35] What are some of the ways we can make the forestry profession better for future generations?
[35:20] Why are you passionate about forestry? What makes you interested in it? There are a lot of options and paths you can explore in this field!
[40:25] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
Grandrapids.org/talent-development/ccl/
Getting Things Done by David Allen
Allison Ginn is Utah’s National Conservation Lands Program Lead for BLM (Bureau of Land Management). She provides statewide support for issues related to designated wilderness, wilderness study areas, national monuments, and more. As a young professional, Allison shares her personal experience on what it was like to finally land a job in this amazing profession.
Key Takeaways:
[1:00] A quick intro about Allison’s background.
[2:15] How did Allison get started in forestry?
[5:25] Allison’s mother works for Delta airlines, which means Allison grew up with an intense love for travel, and was able to see a lot of the world.
[5:55] What is BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and what do they do?
[8:40] What has Allison’s experience been like as a young professional in forestry?
[12:10] Allison applied for 65 different jobs, and was only offered three interviews.
[14:15] There are some great intern programs out that can help give you a leg up in your career.
[15:25] Allison offers some advice for those currently seeking for a job.
[16:05] What has been the best part of Allison’s career so far?
[20:25] What does Allison wish she learned sooner in her career?
[28:55] What kinds of leadership lessons has Allison learned, so far?
[33:00] Has Allison personally experienced any challenges as a woman while being in this profession?
[38:25] Allison shares a bit more information about BLM and how they can help young professionals!
[45:50] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
BLM.gov/careers/students-and-grads/direct-hire-program
BLM.gov/careers/students-and-grads/public-lands-corps
BLM.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/utah
Welcome to Season 3 of the Leadership Nature podcast. This season’s theme is all about young professional foresters and some of their personal life experiences on how they’ve entered into the forestry profession. This season’s first guest is Josh Van Vlack. Josh is the Assistant State Forester at Wyoming State Forestry. He discusses some of his first leadership positions and the hard lessons he’s learned about being a leader at a young age.
Key Takeaways:
[1:10] A quick intro about Josh’s background.
[2:35] How did Josh get started in forestry?
[4:45] Why, and how, did Josh get a master’s degree in leadership?
[10:25] What was Josh’s first job in leadership?
[13:05] What has been the most fun about Josh’s career so far?
[15:05] Josh discusses some of the personal challenges he’s faced when he was a young professional.
[16:15] What leadership lessons did Josh wish he knew about sooner?
[17:40] What does the world of natural resources look like today for young working professionals?
[22:00] What are some of the best ways a young person can get involved with the profession?
[29:25] From a big picture point of view, what can the profession and the forestry industry be doing better to help welcome new professionals?
[34:20] We need to stop feeling vilified and start stepping up. It’s time to get better at marketing and communication.
[39:45] What kind of non-traditional skills do foresters need to really succeed in this industry?
[45:05] Josh offers some final parting words of advice.
[46:55] Tom’s Leadership Tip of the Week!
Mentioned in This Episode:
T. H. Kelly Handbook: The Little Green Book Book by Th. Kelly