Wyoming State Office
| Contacts: | Cindy Wertz, (307) 775-6014 |
Rugwell Named New BLM Wyoming Associate State Director
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming State Director Don Simpson announced today that Mary Jo Rugwell has been selected as the new Associate State Director for BLM Wyoming.
“We’re excited to have Mary Jo on board. She has an extensive background in management, renewable resources, wild horses, oil and gas, grazing, fire, and recreation. She will be an excellent addition to the BLM leadership team and the Wyoming organization,” said Simpson. 
Rugwell comes to Wyoming from Nevada where she has served as district manager for the Southern Nevada District Office since 2008. She previously served as the field manager for the Kemmerer Field Office in Wyoming, acting field manager for Carlsbad Field Office in New Mexico and assistant field manager for Minerals and Lands for the Carlsbad Field Office.
Rugwell began her BLM career in 1984 at the Wyoming State Office in Cheyenne working in the Fluid Minerals Branch. She then worked in several different jobs in the Minerals and Lands Division, including eleven years in fluid minerals adjudication as a land law examiner and team lead. She has also worked for the National Weather Service and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Rugwell plans to report to the Wyoming State Office in late August. Rugwell is a native of Cheyenne, Wyo. Her family includes her husband Darrell, daughter Wendy, son-in-law Eric and son John. Her interests include travel, the theatre, sports, reading, and interior design.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Cheyenne, WY 82009