Happy Retirement to Gary Kania of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Washington D.C. is often depicted as being full of egomaniacs, always looking for attention and willing to step over anyone to climb the career ladder. In my experience, while it’s not as bad as TV shows and movies make it out to be, there is some truth to that characterization.

Certainly someone who does not fit the “always looking out for number one” mold is Gary Kania, whose last day as he heads into retirement from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is today. Over the past few decades, there may not be anyone who has done more for sportsmen’s access and conservation, and received less credit for it, than Gary.

Gary joined CSF in 2006 as Vice President of Policy after previous positions at The Nature Conservancy, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and National Rifle Association. I met Gary in 2009 when I first started at ASA, and among other things, we bonded over commuting from Stafford County on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE). I was quickly impressed with Gary’s depth of understanding of a wide range of policy issues, ability to quickly get the heart of the matter and creative strategic thinking. He also has a sharp New England-style wit that not everyone could get away with, but with Gary you can’t help but laugh.

Looking back at the major pieces of sportsmen’s-related legislation in recent memory, Gary has had a hand in just about every one, either through direct involvement or guiding strategy from behind-the-scenes.

CSF is one of our closest partners at ASA, not only through convening legislators from around the country that are members of the federal and state sportsmen’s caucuses, but adding considerable value in policy development and execution. Gary would say that his greatest career achievement has been developing their state policy team, which is a program he built and mentored from the ground up.

Gary has never been one to seek attention. He is quick to credit others for success. While plenty chatty and extroverted in a small group or one-on-one, in crowds you’ll find him quietly standing in a corner and avoiding the microphone. It was no surprise to me to learn that he was one of the founders of VRE’s “quiet car.”

I hope and expect Gary will fill his retirement with more time fishing on the Chesapeake Bay and hunting all along the East Coast, including the deer hunting lease we share in Stafford. He’ll certainly appreciate no longer having to make one of the worst commutes in the country, from Stafford to DC. Thankfully for all of us in the conservation policy world, Gary plans to stay involved as an advisor to CSF.

As he’s enjoying time on the water or in the woods, I hope he’ll periodically take a moment to reflect on all that he’s done over his career to ensure these opportunities in the outdoors remain available for future generations. The rest of us should do the same, and be thankful for someone like Gary who has devoted his career to preserving our outdoor heritage, whether or not he gets the credit he deserves.