About the Secretary of Natural Resources

Governor Jim Doyle appointed Matt Frank as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), effective September 1, 2007.

Matthew J. Frank

Matt Frank has served as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) since September, 2007 when he was appointed by Governor Jim Doyle.

A Wisconsin native, Secretary Frank's appreciation for the outdoors took root during his childhood in Cross Plains, a rural community in western Dane County. While growing up he fished the Black Earth Creek and hiked the hills that are now part of the Ice Age Trail. As a teenager Secretary Frank worked in his father's grocery store where hunters brought their venison for processing. Family vacations included travel to state parks and camping or staying in a cabin in northern Wisconsin.

During Secretary Frank's first year at the DNR, Secretary Frank has helped Governor Doyle achieve significant conservation milestones, including long term reauthorization and increased funding for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship fund, passage of the Great Lakes Compact, and enacting a strong mercury rule that will significantly reduce mercury and other hazardous air pollutants in the environment. Secretary Frank is also leading efforts to address invasive species, non-point pollution of lakes and streams, water conservation and wildlife habitat protection.

Secretary Frank is a strong proponent of Governor Doyle's Energy Independence initiative and action to address climate change. He was a member of the Governor's Global Warming Task Force, which provides a blueprint for Wisconsin to be a national leader in clean and renewable energy, energy conservation and greenhouse gas reduction. He is a member of the Governor's Energy Independence Cabinet, promoting state-wide energy conservation and the development of clean and renewable energy through state agency collaboration and through local partnerships.

Secretary Frank has also prioritized the ongoing streamlining of DNR regulatory programs, supporting economic growth through administrative efficiency while maintaining high environmental standards. He has brought a strong customer service perspective to the DNR as well as a strong interest in promoting youth outreach and education for those who will be the next generation of conservation and environmental stewards.

Prior to becoming Secretary at the DNR, Secretary Frank spent 22 years as an Assistant Attorney General at the Wisconsin Department of Justice. His tenure at DOJ included serving as Administrator of the Division of Legal Services, during which time he oversaw the state's environmental protection defense and enforcement actions in state and federal courts. He has extensive executive experience in state government, having previously served as Secretary of the Department of Corrections from 2003-2007.

Secretary Frank is a member of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and serves as the national Chair of AFWA's Legislative and Budget Committee. He is also a member of the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and the Environmental Council of the States.

Secretary Frank is married and has three sons, to whom he has passed his love of the outdoors through family activities including fishing, biking, camping, hiking, skiing, canoeing, and kayaking. Secretary Frank is a 1978 graduate of Carleton College, and received a law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School in 1981.