Virginia DGIF Announces New Director to Wildlife Division

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) announced that Robert "Bob" Ellis has been named director of the VDGIF's Wildlife Division.

Bob Ellis had served as assistant director of the Wildlife Division since 1992, when he joined VDGIF. Over the last 16 years he has supervised biologists managing deer, bear, turkey, migratory game birds, small game, furbearers and their habitats. In that capacity he has administered and supervised VDGIF's statewide programs on forest wildlife/habitat, farm wildlife/habitat, waterfowl and wetland habitat. He has directed the development of technical reports and papers related to these programs and research that provide information to the public. Among his other duties was the responsibility for administering the compilation and interpretation of technical data on the status, distribution and harvest of wildlife statewide, and for providing support in the development of management and regulatory proposals.

In addition, Bob Ellis has served as the VDGIF representative on a number of statewide, regional and national working groups and committees including the state's West Nile Virus Task Force; the Atlantic Flyway Council, having served as chairman; the National Flyway Council, on which he serves as the current chairman; Wildlife Division representative on the Northeast Wildlife Administrators Association; the national High Path Avian Influenza Steering Committee; among many others.

VDGIF Executive Director Bob Duncan observed, "Bob Ellis's background, education, experience and skills elevated him to the top of a very competitive applicant pool. I've worked with him since his arrival at the Department and look forward to working with him in this new capacity."

Prior to joining the Department, Bob Ellis worked for the Florida Game and Fish Commission for 12 years, initially as a regional wildlife biologist in the Everglades Region, then later as a regional director. As regional director he supervised field programs and operations for the divisions of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Law Enforcement for the region that included the panhandle of Florida.

Bob Ellis earned a Masters of Science degree in Wildlife Biology/Management from Virginia Tech. Following graduation he worked as an extension agent in Grundy, Virginia, with the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service.

Bob Ellis earned his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor's of Arts in Biology, from Millersville State College in Pennsylvania. Originally from York, Pennsylvania, Bob now happily calls Virginia home. He and his wife of 38 years, Sandy, reside in Montpelier. His interests include hunting, fishing, bird watching, decoy carving, collecting antiques, and spending time with his son Chad, daughter-in-law Tiffany, and granddaughter Sydney.