Robert Cusick

Robert I. (Ric) Cusick was nominated by President Bush in February, 2006, to become the Director of the United States Office of Government Ethics and was confirmed by the Senate in that position on May 26, 2006. He will serve a five-year statutory term as Director of the office which has responsibility for ethics laws and policy in the executive branch of the Federal Government. The office has the authority to issue formal opinions in ethics matters, to review the ethics programs in all departments of the Federal Government, to assist federal agencies in achieving ethical compliance and to work with other nations in treaty matters affecting government corruption.

Mr. Cusick received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville in 1965 and his Juris Doctor degree from that University’s Brandeis School of Law in 1968. He was the editor-in-chief of the law journal there. He began his legal career as a Navy JAG officer, working first in the headquarters office of the Judge Advocate General and later at sea as the Legal Officer of the attack aircraft carrier, USS AMERICA (CVA-66). He returned to Louisville, Kentucky, his home, in 1972, but remained affiliated with the Naval Reserve and retired as a Captain in 1998, after serving in Washington, Annapolis, and Iceland.

Mr. Cusick’s legal career as a civilian was with Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP, a large multi-state firm, for over thirty-three years. He retired as a partner in the firm upon confirmation by the Senate. His practice was concentrated in ethics, mining litigation, and corporate criminal law and he became recognized for his work in both ethics law and underground mine explosions. He was Partner-in-Charge of Ethics Counseling for the law firm for many years and was prominent in both legal and public officer ethics in Kentucky. He was the chairman of the Jefferson County (Louisville) Ethics Commission and of bar association groups which drafted ethics regulations. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Kentucky Bar Association and the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Brandeis School of Law. He was a member of the Kentucky Bar Association Board of Governors and the Kentucky Board of Bar Examiners.

Mr. Cusick is a member of the American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Timothy K. Hoelter
Vice President, Government Affairs
Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

As Vice President of Government Affairs for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Tim Hoelter is responsible for overseeing government relations at home and abroad, supporting global motorcycle regulations and promoting a level playing field in Harley’s overseas markets.

Mr. Hoelter joined Harley-Davidson in 1981 as the only outsider among 13 executives who purchased the company from AMF Incorporated. Initially, he served as Harley's General Counsel, a position he held for 15 years. During his tenure as chief legal officer, he concentrated his efforts on rescuing the Harley-Davidson trademark, launching the company’s licensing program and overseeing its quest for temporary tariff assistance, which was ultimately granted by President Reagan. Mr. Hoelter also managed Harley-Davidson’s initial public stock offering and the filing of its application to trademark the world-famous Harley-Davidson engine sound.

Mr. Hoelter recently stepped down as president of the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association, Geneva, Switzerland and now serves on its Steering Committee. He also serves on the Board of Harbor Commissioners for the City of Milwaukee and is Chairman of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Consumer Goods.

Mr. Hoelter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

Richard Louv

Richard Louv is the author of seven books about family, nature, and community, including “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder,” which has created a national conversation about the disconnection between children and nature and its implications for human health and the future of the environment. A columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune from 1984 to 2006, he has written for the New York Times and other newspapers and magazines, and has been a columnist and member of the editorial advisory board for Parents magazine. He is the chairman of the Children & Nature Network (www.cnaturenet.org), and a member of the Citistates Group, an organization of urban observers. He has served as an advisor to the Ford Foundation's Leadership for a Changing World award program and the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child; and as a Visiting Scholar at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. He has appeared on Good Morning America, the Today Show, NPR’s Fresh Air and Talk of the Nation, and most recently, the CBS Evening News and the NBC Nightly News. 

Richard Louv may be reached by e-mail at rlouv@cts.com or via www.thefuturesedge.com The Children & Nature Network: www.cnaturenet.org

Read Ahead Article: Young Children's Relationship with Nature (Word doc)