Recognizing Bob Holder

HOUSE RESOLUTION 26-1002

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Winter T., Bacon, Boesenecker, Bottoms, Bradfield, Bradley, Brooks, Brown, Caldwell, Camacho, Clifford, DeGraaf, Duran, Espenoza, Flanell, Froelich, Garcia, Garcia Sander, Goldstein, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Hartsook, Jackson, Joseph, Keltie, Lieder, Lindsay, Lukens, Mabrey, Marshall, Mauro, McCluskie, McCormick, Nguyen, Paschal, Richardson, Ricks, Rutinel, Rydin, Sirota, Slaugh, Smith, Soper, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Taggart, Titone, Velasco, Willford, Woodrow, Woog.

CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF DISTRICT WILDLIFE MANAGER BOB HOLDER FOR HIS FIFTY YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO THE STATE OF COLORADO.

WHEREAS, Bob Holder began his legendary career with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in 197 5 and was assigned to the Trinidad West District in 1976, where he has spent the entirety of his 51-year career protecting the wildlife resources of southern Colorado; and WHEREAS, Known by generations of youth as "Mr. Bob Holder", Bob has served as a mentor and hero to countless students, using a captivating communication style and intimate subject matter knowledge to inspire conservation ethics in people of all ages; and WHEREAS, Bob Holder is particularly esteemed for his deep passion for Colorado's black bears, delivering renowned bear education programs and working tirelessly to resolve human-bear conflicts; and

WHEREAS, Bob's technical contributions to wildlife management are historic, including trapping and transferring over 850 Merriam's turkeys throughout Colorado and Utah and assisting in critical research by trapping 240 birds for the state's wild turkey research program; and WHEREAS, Through his exceptional ability to build landowner relationships, Bob was instrumental in the acquisition of the 30,000-acre Bosque del Oso State Wildlife Area (SWA), Colorado's largest SWA, and has helped protect over 78,000 additional acres of critical habitat through perpetual conservation easements; and WHEREAS, In his role as a wildlife officer, Bob is known for his "straight-shooter" communication style and his "sixth sense" that led to the apprehension of hundreds of poachers, earning him a reputation for being determined, aggressive, and fair; and WHEREAS, Bob Holder's extraordinary career has been recognized with the John D. Hart Wildlife Officer of the Year Award in 1996, the NorthAmerican WildlifeOfficerofthe Year Award in 2002, the National Wild Turkey Federation National Enforcement Officer ofthe Year Award in 2006, and the proclamation of June 10 as "Bob Holder Day" in 2018 in Las Animas County; and WHEREAS, Bob Holder officially retired on March 1, 2026, marking a half-century of dedicated service to the people of the state of Colorado; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado: That we, the members of the Colorado House of Representatives, hereby extend our deepest gratitude to Bob Holder for his 50 years of unwavering dedication to Colorado's wildlife and congratulate him on a well-deserved retirement.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to Bob Holder as a token of our esteem and appreciation for his lifetime of service.

Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES