Agency Employees Recognized
Jeb Williams, North Dakota Game and Fish Department director, recently honored employees with performance-based awards. The following special recognition awards were presented during the department’s staff meeting in December.
Blake Riewer, enforcement division investigator, Grand Forks, was recognized for consistently providing assistance on complex investigations and handling a significant amount of the behind-the-scenes technical work that is essential in today’s digital investigative environment.
Brian Frohlich, fisheries biological technician, Riverdale, was recognized for stepping in when the Riverdale office was understaffed to oversee all fall sampling for the fisheries district. Frohlich not only met but exceeded expectations by ensuring that sampling was conducted on every district lake that required survey work.
Shane Wagner, data scientist, Colin Penner, private land biologist/GIS specialist, and Kevin Kading, private land section leader, all Bismarck, were recognized for reducing the extensive amount of administrative work required in delivering private land programs in North Dakota. The private land technical teams worked together to optimize workflows by, for example, integrating electronic signatures for contracts and management plans.
Amanda Anstrom, assistant licensing manager, Bismarck, was recognized for her exceptional leadership, dedication and service by skillfully leading the licensing staff, overseeing complex front-end operations including licensing, lotteries and registrations.
Jeff Long, education coordinator, Brian Schaffer, hunter education coordinator, and Amber Schroeter, administrative assistant, all Bismarck, were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the department’s education section by consistently executing large, complex events essential to the agency, such as NASP tournaments, volunteer banquet and volunteer training.
Sperling Earns Warden Award
Shawn Sperling, North Dakota Game and Fish Department district warden in Minot, was named the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Wildlife Officer of the Year for 2025.
“Warden Sperling’s district contains portions of Ward, Renville and McHenry counties. This area of the state historically boasts a strong population of wild turkeys. Shawn has a passion for turkeys both professionally and personally, as he is an avid turkey hunter himself. Shawn diligently patrols for turkey hunting activity and addresses violations accordingly,” Turkey Federation officials said. “He is also a skilled investigator and has used his talents to make strong cases involving illegally taken turkeys. Warden Sperling’s dedication to the wildlife resources in his district, as well as his district’s constituents, make him a great fit for this award.”
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