Brian D. Winter never thought one project would set the tone for his entire career. Winter is the National Park Service's lead on the largest-ever dam-removal and river-restoration project in the U.S. The 57-year-old has been involved with the Elwha River, which lies mostly within Washington's Olympic National Park, for nearly three decades.
Patrick Crain, the park's chief fisheries biologist, says Winter's consistency and ability to balance an extremely long list of stakeholders has been key. "Brian has always been well prepared for the topic of the day, and he has impressed me with his commitment to seeing the Elwha project through," Crain says.