Idaho lands director to step down in January

BOISE – Gov. Butch Otter has announced that Idaho Department of Lands Director Tom Schultz will step down mid-January.

Otter said Wednesday that Schultz is leaving the state agency to become vice president of government affairs and community outreach for Idaho Forest Group – a family-owned wood products company.

Schultz has been the land agency’s director since 2011. During his tenure, Schultz has worked to execute the direction of the five-member State Board Land of Commissioners to divest hundreds of cottage sites at Priest Lake and Payette Lake and several agency commercial properties.

The land board, which is made up of Otter, the attorney general, secretary of state, state controller and superintendent of public instruction, will discuss the agency director position at its January 16 meeting. The board provides direction to the agency in managing endowment trusts lands in Idaho.