NEWS RELEASE

Mississippi’s Gary Blair Selected as NACD President-Elect

San Diego, CA – Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Board of Directors elected Gary Blair of Starkville, MS to serve as the association’s President-Elect. He will serve a one-year term as President-Elect alongside current NACD President Kim LaFleur and will assume the role of NACD President in 2025. 

“I have had the pleasure of working alongside Gary for the past seven years,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. “His wealth of knowledge and experience in organizational management and leadership has served NACD well. He is committed to NACD’s mission and its membership. I look forward to the continued growth of NACD under Gary’s leadership.” 

Blair has served NACD in a number of roles since 2015, including as a board member, executive board member, and most recently as an officer in the role of First Vice President. He also serves on the board of his local conservation district, the Carroll County Soil and Water Conservation District, and is a former president of the Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts and Mississippi Forestry Association. Blair has a private consulting business, Legacy Land & Financial Consulting, and is the managing member of Blair Legacy Tree Farm in Carroll County, Mississippi. He retired from Southern AgCredit, formally known as Federal Land Bank, following 36 years of service to agriculture in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas. Blair is a graduate of Mississippi State University with degrees in agribusiness and general business administration. He and his wife, Johnna live in Mississippi and have one son, Jonathan, a proud graduate, like his father, of Mississippi State University. 

“I am grateful for the opportunity to take the helm and move NACD and its mission forward during this very important time in the history of soil and water conservation,” said NACD President-Elect Gary Blair. “We promote conservation practices on Every Acre, for Every American, Every Day, with our almost 3,000 conservation districts across this great nation. I look forward to leading NACD by continuing to work collaboratively with my fellow officers, board members, and conservation districts.” 

Blair will be sworn in as President in February 2025 at NACD’s 79th Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

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About the National Association of Conservation Districts: 

The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 individuals who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.