Alumni Updates


Aaron Pudlicki, 2018
Submitted: August 15, 2018

Aaron Pudlicki, Forestry & Wildland Resources, 2018, obtained a full-time job as a forester living in Portland, Oregon and managing timberland throughout western Oregon within three months of graduation.


Braden Pitcher, 2013
Submitted: February 10, 2017

Braden Pitcher, 2013 Forestry & Wildland Resources, finally landed a full-time, permanent career position with the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service as a Soil Scientist after three years of bouncing across the West between seasonal technician jobs for the Bureau of Land Management. Mapping different soil types and their management potential across Western lands gives Pitcher the opportunity to spend every day outside, often experiencing landscapes few in modern history have seen. Pitcher adds, “OH YEAH! I just recently married a fellow HSU Alumni and Natural Resources graduate!”


jeremy M. Milana, 2015
Submitted: November 15, 2016

Jeremy M. Milana, 2015 Forestry & Wildland Resources, is seeking opportunities within the environmental realm.


Michael T. Rains, 1968
Submitted: October 13, 2016

Michael T. Rains, 1968 Forestry, recently retired from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service after 48 years of public service. Rains began his career as a wildland firefighter and rose through the ranks to become deputy chief for the agency. His last assignment with the Forest Service was director of the Northern Research Station and the Forest Products Laboratory. Rains is known for his authorship role in the National Fire Plan for the Department of Agriculture and advancing biomass uses—cellulose nanomaterials, green building construction, advanced wood for energy —as a way to help America's forests become more resilient to disturbances. Along the way, Rains earned a master’s degree in Secondary Education and now enjoys substitute teaching math and science at the middle school level in Pennsylvania.


Gene Blankenbaker, 1977
Submitted: July 3, 2015

Gene Blankenbaker, 1977 Forestry & Wildland Resources, transferred to the position of Deputy Director for Human Resources for the U.S. Forest Service last spring.


Rion Allbaugh, 2001
Submitted: April 16, 2014

Rion Allbaugh, 2001 Forestry, met his wife Anne Marie Nielsen (‘01, Child Development) in the Siemens Hall Computer lab in 1999 and have been together ever since. Allbaugh is a Fire Captain for Cal Fire, and Anne Marie is a second grade teacher. They live in the Sierra Nevada Foothills with their son and dog. They look back upon their Humboldt State experience with great nostalgia and, if given the opportunity, would do it all over again in a heartbeat.


Ron Miller, 1983
Submitted: December 13, 2013

RON MILLER, 1983 Forest Management, is a supervisory forester on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona. His 30-year career has included working for the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Miller has published articles in both American Forests and the Journal of Forestry. He is also the nominator of the largest Chihuahua pine in the United States. Recent travel includes time in Costa Rica and Panama in Central America and Ecuador and Peru in South America.


David Honeywell, 1982 (BS Forestry) 1986 (BS Computer Info Systems)
Submitted: May 8, 2013

DAVID HONEYWELL, 1982 Forestry, 1986 Computer Information Systems, and his wife have finally retired from the federal government; 28 and a half years for Honeywell and over 20 for his wife. During a business trip, he happened to buy a winning Powerball ticket. Honeywell and his wife accepted the winning check for $217 million on Valentine’s Day this year. Soon after, they retired and are now building their dream retirement home and enjoying life. The couple has donated $4 million to charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Food Bank and many others, as well as the goal of also establishing an HSU scholarship in the very near future.


Kevin Nadin, 1985
Submitted: March 28, 2013

KEVIN NADIN, 1985 Forestry and Wildland Resources, has been with Sierra Pacific Industries for the past 11 years, currently in the position of network administrator. After leaving HSU, Nadin began working in various forestry positions before returning to school at Chico State. He has been married for 18 years and has three children.


Eric Burke, 2005
Submitted: December 21, 2012

RPF # 2873, I have recently accepted a promotion as Vegetation Management Officer for the Tahoe National Forest, Yuba River Ranger District. Married to Martha Burke (RPF # 2918). Expecting first child Sierra Elizabeth Burke 3/27/2013.


Rick Hoffmann, 1968
Submitted: September 24, 2012

After two careers - Entomology Research (UC Berkeley) and Science teacher, I have retired from full time employment. I now work as a Science Education consultant, substitute teach, and tutor students in science.


Stewart Wilson, 2010
Submitted: April 4, 2012

Research Assistant at UC Davis in Soils and Biogeochemistry. MS Student


Nicolas Havlik, 2001
Submitted: March 28, 2012

Currently employed by Parsons Corporation at Fort Bliss, Texas as the Program Manager for the Integrated Training Area Management(ITAM)Program. Our program focuses on erosion and sediment control, native grass re-seeding, vegetation monitoring, maneuver trail maintenance and reconfiguration, protection of sites both of cultural and biological significance and education to our Military on the importance of being good stewards of the 1500 square miles of training land that encompasses Fort Bliss.


Amy Gustafson, 2007
Submitted: March 20, 2012

I am currently a Rangeland Management Specialist for the Sierra National Forest, and have been since fall of 2008.


Eric Burke, 2005
Submitted: February 29, 2012

Currently a Registered Professional Forester and working for the Plumas National Forest, Feather River Ranger District as a Timber Sale Administrator.


Carlton Yee, 1964
Submitted: October 17, 2011

After 13 years in Central Oregon, Judi and I recently moved to the Boise, ID area. We love it here with a bigger city and a State more politically attuned to our views. We summer here and winter in the Las Vegas area. I have been retired for 11 years now and am hoping to live long enough to be a problem for CALPERS.


Norm Benson, 1974
Submitted: January 21, 2011

Happily married. Living in N Cal.

Lately been passing along reasonably green thoughts at http://timberati.com


Larry Stephens, December 1990
Submitted: January 21, 2011

Working for the California Department of Fish and Game for 12 years now enforcing hunting and fishing laws in the mountains of Southern California.


Jeffery Newborn, 1996
Submitted: January 19, 2011

Own A & D Tree Service