National 4-H Hall of Fame Winner

Bill Stevens
Conservation Manager, Federal Cartridge Company

Home: Fridley, MN
Nominated by: Minnesota 4-H
Year Inducted: 2009

4-H Efforts: Coordinated Federal Cartridge sponsored 4-H Conservation Camps for 20 years. In 1985, redirected Federal's support to 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Training Workshops. Member of founding National Shooting Sport Committee. Helped increase states in 4-H shooting sports and support from shooting sports industry and conservation organizations.

Honors: Field & Stream Heroes of Conservation Lifetime Achievement award; Wildlife Management Institute George Bird Grinnell Distinguished Service Award; National Partner in 4-H; National Wild Turkey Federation Lynn Boykin Hunting Heritage Award; Safari Club Intl. Educator of the Year Award; Izaak Walton League Honor Roll; MN Ducks Unlimited Jimmy Robertson Award.

Bill Stevens was raised on a small farm near Hinckley, MN and attended the University of MN. He joined Federal Cartridge in 1965 and retired in 2007. For the first 20 years he coordinated Federal sponsored 4-H Conservation Camps that taught 4-H youth about the conservation of natural resources. In 1985, after 50 years of Camp sponsorship, he changed Federal's support to 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Training
Workshops. In the early 1970's Texas 4-H initiated a pilot 4-H Shooting Sports Program that taught volunteer leaders how to teach youth shooting skills. Stevens provided support for these programs and recruited additional states to conduct pilot workshops.

As a member of the founding National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee, he contacted shooting sports industry and conservation organizations to raise money and equipment for the program. He identified sites for regional leader training and assisted at these events. Bill encouraged other states to get involved in the program, explaining that shooting sports was a youth development program. As a result, 4-H shooting sports programs exist in 48 states involving over 300,000 youth annually. He co-authored rifle and pistol lesson plans, developed training videos, provided the shotgun awards for the National 4-H Invitational Matches and exhibited at NAE4-HA conferences.

Quote: I have been very fortunate to have been involved with 4-H programs at National, State, County and local levels for over 40 years and have been able to witness the dedication of the Professional Staff and volunteers that work with the youth and the results they achieved. Because of the efforts of these individuals, it is apparent that 4-H is the finest youth education and development organization in the country.

Link to Bill Steven's Hall of Fame Page: http://www.nae4ha.org/hof/bstevens.html#