October 3, 2022

Dear MSLEA Members and Future Members,

Recently I was appointed as the new MSLEA Executive Director effective October 1, 2022. I will be stepping in for Dan Tourtelotte as he wraps up his pending workload in preparation for full retirement from the position of Executive Director, a position his has held since 2013. Dan has graciously agreed to remain on through the fall to assist me and the board in preparation for the full transition. Dan has a tremendous wealth of knowledge related to representation of MSLEA members in grievances, bargaining, and legislature, knowledge I hope to gain while working with him the next several months. I would like to publicly thank Dan for all that he has done for me and MSLEA over the past 9 years of dedicated service!

This coming year will be an exciting one with collective bargaining fast approaching for the MSLEA. As many of you already know, collective bargaining will begin again in the spring/summer of 2023. I am very interested in what each of you considers the biggest issues facing your individual agencies and what it is you would like me, and your bargaining team, to fight for in 2023. Please forward any requests and or suggestions you have to your individual board directors as soon as possible.

With that said, I would like to tell you briefly about who I am and where I came from. I was born and raised in Ellsworth, Maine. I attended Unity College and obtained my Bachelor's Degree of Science in Environmental Science with a major in conservation law enforcement.  Shortly after graduating college, I was hired by the Maine Warden Service as a District Game Warden. I started my career in the Augusta District. I was promoted to Investigator in 2009, a position I held until my retirement from the warden service on October 1, 2022. I retired with just short of 26 years of service. Prior to, and also, while I was a game warden, I also served as a part-time police officer with the Winslow Police Department, Ellsworth Police Department, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Winthrop Police Department. I live in Eddington, Maine with my wife, two children ages 15 and 17 and three black labs.

I retired from the Warden Service to be your Executive Director. I believe very strongly in the mission of the MSLEA. I was one of the original members of MSLEA when it all started in 2005. I served on the executive board as the first MSLEA Treasurer and then moved on to the Board Director position and then to a steward role. I received a lot of support from past and current MSLEA members, executive board members and board directors during the interview process. It was a tough decision to leave a job that I loved but I know in my heart that it was the right thing to do so that I could support the fine, dedicated professionals that are represented by MSLEA.

I look forward to meeting and getting to know all of you at some point down the road. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with a question or concerns you may have.

Stay safe and remember you are never alone out there!

Sincerely,

Kevin M. Anderson

MSLEA Executive Director

(207)557-0435