Biographical Info

Bill received his bachelors and master’s degrees from The Ohio State University in Fisheries Management in 1980 and 1982, respectively. During his 30 years at OSU, Bill participated in a wide variety of research projects during his 18 years in the School of Environment and Natural Resources, including wetlands, reservoir and riverine management, and aquaculture. He also spent 12 years as an Aquatic Ecosystem Management Specialist with the OSU Extension program, helping private pond, lake, and wetland owners properly manage their water bodies. In 2007-2012, Bill was the University’s lead educator on Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB’s) occurring throughout Ohio, educating both public and private water pond & lake managers on HAB’s: causes, health threats to humans, and remedial actions to control and prevent blooms. Bill retired from OSU in 2012 but has remained active, particularly in aquaculture. Bill started his yellow perch pond culture facility in 2001 and sells all sizes of perch to pond and lake management companies. Bill is currently President of the Ohio Aquaculture Association. He also chairs the Industry Advisory Council of the USDA’s North Central Regional Aquaculture Center and serves on the Center’s Board of Directors. Bill still actively teaches and does 20-25 aquaculture presentations annually in Ohio and other north central states on yellow perch, water quality and disease prevention, aquaculture BMP’s, marketing, sustainability, pond management, and aquaculture cooperatives. Bill is currently a PI on a USDA Grant awarded to The Ohio State University and the Ohio Aquaculture Association titled “Aquaculture Boot Camp Two”, commonly referred to as ABC-2. The goals of this project are to provide intensive information and technology transfer to 30-35, selected beginning aquaculturists and aquaponists annually to enhance their potential to develop successful business endeavors. Participants meet for a full day each month to obtain biological, marketing, and business knowledge so they can develop a viable business plan, a requirement to being selected for the program.