An official website of the State of Georgia.
About the Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund consists of 11 members. The Board is responsible for accepting applications and evaluating and approving the proposals in accordance with priorities established by the Board. The Board of Trustees meet quarterly for the transaction of business and to review the progress of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund. The dates and locations of these meetings will be posted on the DNR website.
Board of Trustees Members
Walter Rabon, Chair
As Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Walter Rabon is the seventh person to head the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and its approximately 1600 employees. DNR has statewide responsibilities for the management and conservation of Georgia’s natural, historic and cultural resources, including fish and wildlife, land conservation, coastal resources, historic preservation, and sustainability initiatives. DNR protects and conserves Georgia’s diverse wildlife populations and provides quality outdoor recreation through its management of more than one million acres of public lands in state parks, natural areas, public fishing areas and wildlife management areas.
Mr. Rabon first began his career with DNR in 1993 as a Conservation Ranger, now referred to as Game Wardens, and worked his way up through the Law Enforcement Division, serving as a Major before stepping into the Deputy Commissioner role. Rabon earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Brenau University and a master’s degree from Columbus State University.
He and his wife Kathie have 3 sons and 5 grandchildren and reside in Jasper County.
Jeff Cown
Jeff Cown was appointed Director of the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources effective August 2023. Georgia EPD protects Georgia’s air, land, and water resources through the authority of state statutes and major parts of five federal environmental statutes. These laws regulate air quality, water quality, hazardous waste, water supply, solid waste, surface mining, underground storage tanks and other areas.
Johnny Sabo
Johnny Sabo was appointed Director/State Forester of the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) in September 2024. Johnny came to the GFC as Deputy Director in April 2023 bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in professional forestry and wildland fire. In that role, he had direct oversight of the Forest Management, Forest Protection, and Law Enforcement departments, as well as five Regions spanning the entire state where field operations are conducted. Johnny also serves on the Georgia Forestry Foundation Board of Trustees, and the Georgia Sentinel Landscape Executive Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Forest Resource Management from Clemson University.
Johnny and his wife, Christina, have one son and live in Macon.
Russell R. McMurry
On Jan. 20, 2015, Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, P.E. was appointed by the State Transportation Board to lead the Georgia Department of Transportation – the $3.7 billion, nearly 4000-employee state agency responsible for building, maintaining and operating the 10th largest transportation system in the country. McMurry is certainly no stranger to transportation or Georgia DOT. He began his career with the Department in 1990 as an engineering trainee and has served in a variety of roles that include Construction Project Manager, District Engineer, Director of Engineering and Chief Engineer. McMurry was also appointed by Governor Deal as Planning Director before he began his role as Commissioner.
McMurry currently serves as board member for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA), State Depository Board, UGA College of Engineering Advisory Board, and the ATL Transit Authority Board of Directors. He also chairs the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ (AASHTO) Council on Highways and Streets and serves as president of the Southern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO).
Commissioner McMurry has been recognized nationally for his leadership during the I-85 Bridge Rebuild. He was named Georgian of the Year for 2018 by Georgia Trend magazine. He also received the Inaugural Engineering Influence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia.In January 2019, McMurry was named one of Georgia Trend’s 100 Most Influential Georgians. He was also named one of Atlanta’s most powerful leaders in Atlanta Magazine’s “Atlanta 500.”
McMurry graduated cum laude from Georgia Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Georgia.
Bo Butler
Bo Butler was born and raised in Middle Georgia and has spent much of his life enjoying the outdoors. As an Eagle Scout, Bo began camping and learning about conservation at an early age through Boy Scouts along the Flint River.
After graduating from the University of Mississippi, Bo began working on Capitol Hill for United States Senator Saxby Chambliss and later served as Legislative Director to Congressman Tom Graves, managing the appropriations process. After seven years in Washington, DC, Bo and his family moved back to Georgia and he began serving as Lt. Governor Casey Cagle’s Chief of Staff. In this role, Bo worked closely with conservationists and both the Senate and House Appropriations Chairmen to advance the legislation creating the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program. He is involved with several renewable energy companies that help reduce the carbon footprint and protect our natural resources.
Bo and his wife, Conlee, have two children and reside in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. He receives the greatest enjoyment raising his daughter and son and taking them on new adventures, whether hiking and camping in the North Georgia Mountains or boating on our lakes and coastal ways.
Eddie Canon
Mr. Canon has worked for Cobb County, for 20+ years and has worked in the Parks and Recreation field for 40 years. He served as the Parks and Recreation Director for Cobb County Government and the City of Cumming, as well as worked in the Recreation and Parks Department for the City of Roswell. He is a member of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association and served as President of the Association in 2018.
Eddie is married to Susan Canon with two children and two grandchildren. He loves visiting Parks across the state and enjoys all the great outdoor opportunities that the State of Georgia has to offer.
Aaron McWhorter
Mr. McWhorter is the owner and president of North Georgia Turf, Inc. and Sports Turf Company, Inc. He is a current member of the General Contractors Licensing Board, the Georgia Sod Producers Association, the Turfgrass Producers International, and the past president of the Georgia Turfgrass Association.
He is a member of the North Georgia Mountains Authority, the West Georgia Regional Water Council, the Carroll County Water Authority Board, the American General Contractors Association Board, the Georgia Environmental Restoration Association Board (GERA) and the University of West Georgia. McWhorter earned a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in education from the University of West Georgia.
He resides in Whitesburg with his wife, Linda. They have three children and six grandchildren.
Truitt Eavenson
With more than thirty six years experience in the electric utility industry, Truitt Eavenson serves as Owner and President of Eavenson Consulting Group. He formerly served as a Senior Executive and Vice President of Georgia Power’s Coastal area which included 31 counties. He has extensive experience in government relations, lobbying, regulatory affairs and community development. His experience also includes operations, construction, fleet management and safety and health. He has led teams through crisis situations and natural disasters including hurricanes, tornados and ice storms.
A native of Carnesville, Georgia, Eavenson earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in business administration from Georgia State University. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development.
In the community, Eavenson currently serves on the board of directors of Ossabaw Island Foundation and the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the University of Georgia’s College of Engineering Advisory Council and the Bank South Advisory Board.
He and his wife Lisa reside in Savannah.
Ex-Officio
Doug Haymans
Mr. Haymans has been with CRD for over 17 years serving most recently as coordinator for policy, outreach and communications and representing Georgia on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Earlier in his career, he supervised boating/fishing access and habitat development, served as commercial fishing liaison, and coordinated special projects such as the Peach State Reds Initiative. Mr. Haymans worked as a fisheries biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before employment with CRD. He holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Georgia and is a graduate of Leadership Glynn and the Institute of Georgia Environmental Leadership.
Based in Brunswick, CRD administers the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act and Shore Protection Act; manages shellfish harvest areas; conducts research, management and development activities associated with recreational and commercial fishery resources; represents Georgia on regional marine fishery boards and commissions; and builds boat ramps, artificial reefs, and fishing piers. CRD has primary responsibility for the Protection of Tidewater/Right of Passage Acts.
“I am excited to announce Doug Haymans as the next director of the Coastal Resources Division and am confident he will rise to the challenge of protecting our state’s precious resources in this capacity,” said Commissioner Mark Williams. “Doug is a subject matter expert on coastal issues and a tremendous leader which makes him a perfect fit to assume the role of director.”
Mr. Haymans and his wife of 26 years, Tonia, attend First Baptist Church in Brunswick. He recently served as the vice-chair of the Brunswick High School Parent-Teacher Council and on the Executive Committee of the Brunswick High Band Boosters. He is the proud father of two children, Jacob, a senior at Belmont University in Nashville, and Sarah, a freshman at Georgia Tech.
Angie Johnson
Angie Johnson has been with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for over 30 years and was appointed as the Director of the State Parks and Historic Sites Division in August 2023. The State Parks and Historic Sites Division manages more than 70 properties that preserve the state's environment and history. From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Colonial Coast, these sites offer an exceptional variety of activities, such as hiking and biking, fishing and boating, picnicking, ranger programs, historic enactments and golf for more than 10 million people each year.
Ted Will 
Ted Will was appointed to the Director of the Wildlife Resources Division in December 2020. As Director, Mr. Will leads DNR’s division that is tasked with conserving and promoting fishing, hunting and wildlife resources through management, education and scientific research. The Wildlife Resources Division is comprised of three sections — Game Management, Fisheries Management, and Wildlife Conservation.
Mr. Will has been an employee of this division for over twenty years, and previously served as Assistant Director, Chief of Game Management, Assistant Chief for both Fisheries Management and Game Management, Fisheries Region Supervisor, and was a fisheries biologist in southeast Georgia for over seven years. Ted holds a master’s in wildlife ecology from Mississippi State University having earned his bachelor’s degree in forest resources from the University of Georgia. He is an avid hunter and angler, and currently resides in Bogart with his wife Tracey and two sons Jackson and Slaton.