2023 Award of Professional Excellence: Michael Steuck
The 2023 Award of Professional Excellence was presented to Michael Steuck.
Mike was born and raised on the Mississippi River in Dubuque, and he has dedicated his professional life to service of Iowa’s fish, fisheries, and anglers. He began working for Iowa DNR in 1986 as a fisheries aid, and is now the Northeast Iowa Management and Culture Supervisor. He has been a team leader or supervisor since 1997, serving as a mentor to dozens of biologists, technicians, and natural resource aides. As a leader, he does an excellent job of assessing team strengths and weaknesses and providing opportunities for growth and professional development.
He has been the standard-bearer for Iowa’s trout fisheries for over a decade, leading to update of the Trout Management Plan, expansion of public access to trout fishing, shifting to self-sustaining wild trout populations, and adjusting culture practices to support those goals. He is an integral member and leader on developing new programs such as the River Restoration Program, River Restoration Toolbox, Iowa Stream Mitigation Method, and the In Lieu Fee Program, all of which will greatly benefit water quality and fish populations in Iowa.
The nomination team felt that Mike was exceptionally deserving of this award, and I think we can all agree. Throughout his career, Mike has had a significant impact, and has shown his loyalty, dedication, and service to the Iowa Chapter for 36 years.
