Fundraising & Communications Coordinator – Bethany Cochran

Bethany Cochran was hired at the South Carolina Waterfowl Association in January 2003. She is currently the Fundraising and Communication Coordinator. She is in charge of Membership Department, Fundraising Adminstration, the SCWA website and the Waterfowl and Wetlands magazine. Bethany met her husband Stuart Cochran, the Senior Waterfowl Biologist, while working for SCWA. They have been married for two years. They are expecting their first child in May 2009. Bethany grew up on Lake Marion and loves to hunt and fish. Bethany loves the great outdoors and believes that SCWA is doing its part to help wildlife and conservation efforts.

Executive Director – David J. Wielicki

David Wielicki founded the South Carolina Waterfowl Association (SCWA) on December 16, 1986. He has served as the Executive Director of SCWA since the organization’s inception. David graduated with an honors degree in Wildlife Management from Auburn University in 1983. During his undergraduate and graduate studies he spent three years in Manitoba, Canada assisting waterfowl researchers on waterfowl and wetland ecology projects and conducting his own research on aspects of mallard nutrition during the summer molting period. David’s research was funded by the Delta Waterfowl Foundation and he received his Master of Science degree from the University of Manitoba. David worked for Ted Turner managing over 2,000 acres of coastal rice field impoundments prior to founding the South Carolina Waterfowl Association. David has over 25 years of experience as a waterfowl biologist and manager. David grew up in North Alabama hunting and fishing with his Father Tony Wielicki. David is an avid waterfowl hunter and fisherman who enjoys sharing the outdoors with his father, wife Joette and two children, Gracie and Tony. His duties at SCWA include Association management, strategic planning, fund raising and waterfowl management.

Chapter Development Director – Mac Bagnal

Mac Bagnal accepted the full time position of SCWA Director of Chapter Development on June 4, 2004. Mac became interested in SCWA in 1996 when he was asked to join his local SCWA committee. In 2002, the committee elected Mac to become chairman of Clarendon SCWA Chapter. His passion to help raise money for SCWA’s programs and Camp Woodie landed him a job in June of 2004. Mac believes in SCWA’s mission to Conserve, Enhance, and Perpetuate our waterfowl heritage. Mac is an avid outdoorsman who loves to hunt and fish. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his son Donald McQueen III (Trey) and daughter Mary McKenzie, and his wife Lisa. His duties at SCWA include assisting Chapter Chairman and volunteers with fund raising event planning and implementation, strategic planning and fund raising budget development and assisting Camp Woodie and other SCWA departments. Mac invites each SCWA member to become active with their local SCWA Chapter Committee. To get involved give him a call at 803-938-3145.

Camp Woodie Director – Matt Baxley

Matt Baxley is no stranger to the outdoors, having spent his entire life as a hunter, fisherman, outdoors conservationist, and an athlete, which taught him the importance of hard work and commitment. Matt’s love of the outdoors and all it has to offer compliments his current position as Camp Director for South Carolina Waterfowl Association’s Camp Woodie. Matt first joined SCWA as a Camp Woodie Counselor in 2007 and served as Assistant Camp Director in 2008. He shares the same ideals of outdoor conservation and management as SCWA and the same passion to teach youth the joy of all things the outdoors provides. Matt’s duties at Camp Woodie include camp counselor management, planning fun activities for campers, home visits and making the outdoors fun for all campers. Matt is 2008 graduate of Newberry College with a Bachelors of Science in Recreational Management with a minor in Physical Education. While attending Newberry College, he was a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and starting linemen for the football team. He is a 2003 graduate of Barnwell High School where he was also involved in many charitable organizations and various sports.

Senior Waterfowl Biologist – Stuart Cochran

Stuart Cochran started working with South Carolina Waterfowl Association (SCWA) in 2004 as a wood duck technician. He then was moved to Wood Duck biologist later that year and then to Senior Waterfowl Biologist in the summer of 2005. He graduated with honors from Michigan State University in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife. After graduating he spent a fall in Alaska guiding for moose and caribou before taking the job with SCWA. Stuart grew up in southwest Michigan hunting, fishing and trapping with his father Mike. It was not until his mid teens when he realized his passion for waterfowl and has perused them ever since. Stuart is married to SCWA Fundraising and Communications Coordinator Bethany Cochran. They are expecting their first child in May of 2009. His duties at SCWA include management of the Wood Duck Program, Mallard Release Program, farming, corporate hunting and waterfowl impoundment management.

Controller – Tom Ratkovsky

My name is Tom Ratkovsky and I am the controller for the South Carolina Waterfowl Association. I am very excited about working for SCWA. I grew up in Sumter and have lived the majority of my life in South Carolina and Georgia. My wife and I call Sumter home now, and have been blessed with a beautiful little girl. I graduated from College of Charleston with a B.S. degree in Business Management. After graduating college, I worked as an agricultural consultant for several years and I have also experienced life as a plantation manager on a wildlife plantation. My experience in accounting comes from previous employment as a Controller for two different companies on Hilton Head Island and in Atlanta. I believe that my experience in the outdoors and in accounting makes me a good fit for the organization and I look forward to many years with SCWA.

SCWA Board Of Directors

President - Marshall J. Collins
Senior Vice President - Philip L. Horn, Jr
Secretary / Treasurer - A. Carrol Josey
Tommy Addison
Gary W. Dietrich
Delbert A Eggert
John N. McCarter
Charlie C. Rountree, III
O. Johnson Small, II
John Stroud
Richard M. Unger
John W. Williamson, III