Remembering Wally Bowman

Current and former staff were saddened last week to hear of the passing of Wallace D. “Wally” Bowman, a conservation and environmental policy expert.

As Vice President for Operations, Wally was the first official staff member of World Resources Institute when it was launched in 1982. His efforts in building WRI’s administrative, personnel, financial and publications policies laid the foundation for our long-term growth and success. Wally retired as Secretary-Treasurer of WRI in 1993.

Before coming to WRI, Wally was the chief of the environmental and natural resources policy divisions at the Library of Congress where he had a role assisting Sen. Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Wash.) on his sponsorship of the National Environmental Policy Act, a sweeping piece of legislation signed by President Richard Nixon in 1970.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Wally’s family. He was a dear friend and colleague, and we will miss him.