The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation named former Razorback Foundation President Chuck Dicus as its new chief executive Thursday against the backdrop of a strained relationship with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

The Game and Fish Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that was established in 1982 to raise funds and advocate for the commission. It does not receive any public funding.

Dicus will serve as president along with current President Steve Smith until Smith retires in December 2015. As president of the Razorback Foundation from 1991-2008, Dicus raised more than $220 million, according to a statement released Thursday by the foundation.

Dicus played football for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1968-70, and was named First Team All-American in 1969. He played in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers in 1971-72, and for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1973.

Randy Milligan, chairman of the of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, said Dicus brings more than 17 years of fundraising experience with him.

"Throughout his time with the Razorback Foundation, Chuck worked with Arkansans in every part of the state. We know these relationships will be of great benefit to our foundation, and we are excited to see Chuck help us grow," Milligan said.

Dicus takes the helm of the Game and Fish Foundation during a time of tension with the commission. Mike Knoedl, the commission's director, has criticized the foundation since he became director in 2012 about the lack of communication between the foundation and the commission and about what he perceives as the foundation's lack of "transparency." He said he hopes the relationship improves during Dicus' leadership.

"Obviously, since I've been director there has been a disconnect between the foundation and the commission," Knoedl said. "I don't really know [Dicus] that well, but I think they have to communicate more effectively with the commission and engage with the employees and the commission. I look forward to cultivating a positive working relationship with them and the commission. The ball's in their court now."

Mike Freeze of Keo, who served on the commission from 1999-2006, resigned from the foundation's board of directors on May 19. He said he was surprised that the foundation hired Dicus, who has no established relationships with the commissioners, senior staff members or employees.

"I'm surprised, but I wish them well and hope he's able to help the foundation meet its financial requirements," Freeze said.

Chief among those requirements is raising about $700,000 to complete funding for the foundation's shooting sports facility in Jacksonville. The facility will host the commission's annual Youth Shooting Sports tournament and other youth shooting sports events.

Randy Wilbourn, a member of the foundation's executive committee, said the foundation also has plans to expand the facility to accommodate archery, rifle and pistol shooting.

Milligan said the foundation's priority is to complete funding for the $2 million facility.

"I think the board and a few outside the board have committed about $1.35 [million] right now," Milligan said. "Our commitments are over a five-year period. We have about $650,000 left [to raise,] and hopefully that's going be Chuck's first big project is go out and raise that."

The range is a sore point with the commission, however, because Knoedl said the foundation built it without the commission's blessing or input. The commission has not contributed money to it, and Knoedl said it has no plans to do so.

Freeze said building the shooting range is just one instance in which the foundation appeared to separate itself from the commission.

"The foundation supposedly exists to support the mission of Game and Fish," Freeze said. "That was taken out of their mission statement, but Randy Milligan put it back in. Knoedl called their hand on it. There's a lot of bad blood there. [Dicus] is going to have to not only raise money but repair the relationship between the commission and the foundation."

Dicus said he's vaguely aware of problems between the entities but said mending fences would be a goal.

"We can't do a whole lot about what happened in the past, but we can do a lot about what's going to happen in the future," Dicus said. "I am anxious and eager to work with Director Knoedl and the staff."

Dicus said he's a lifelong outdoorsman with a passion for fly fishing. He said his father introduced him to crappie fishing and quail hunting while growing up in west Texas. He said he also enjoys duck hunting, and he suggested that more business deals in Arkansas are cut in duck blinds than on golf courses.

"I think that's a very fair statement," Dicus said. "There's a duck culture here. It's something Arkansas is proud of and certainly should be proud of."

Hunting and fishing as a child with his father instilled in him a passion for passing the outdoor heritage to youngsters, Dicus said.

Wilbourn declined to divulge Dicus' salary.

"As a private, nonprofit organization, we don't talk about what we pay," Wilbourn said. "We're able to pay enough money to attract a person of this caliber."

The foundation hired Dicus after a nationwide search conducted by the Pace Group, a human-resources firm that recruits candidates for executive positions.

When the foundation began its search in February, Smith said that the new president would probably receive a compensation package that would include a six-figure salary.

A Section on 05/30/2014