Board of Directors
Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, Inc. is privileged to have a distinguished Board of Directors to help guide us on our mission to give more children the opportunity to experience the great outdoors.
Eric Dinger
Founder of landoption
Eric Dinger, founder of Landoption and known affectionately as "Dinger," is a dedicated conservationist and entrepreneur with a passion for fostering outdoor experiences and environmental stewardship. Currently serving as the board chair for Outdoor Mentors, Eric brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of leadership and innovation in the conservation sector.
Eric’s journey began in rural South Dakota, where he developed a love for the outdoors while cleaning pheasants for hunters. This early experience shaped his lifelong commitment to conservation and sustainable land management. After founding Thought District, a successful marketing and sales strategy firm during his college years at the University of Nebraska, Eric transitioned to his true calling in conservation.
His passion for the outdoors led to the creation of Powderhook, a tech company dedicated to reversing the decline in outdoor participation. Powderhook quickly became an industry leader, collaborating with major brands on mobile and marketing strategies. The company was acquired by Sovereign Sportsman Solutions (now Payit Outdoors), where Eric continued to lead the combined entity’s efforts in mobile, marketing, and customer engagement.
In 2021, Eric joined the Arbor Day Foundation to spearhead its Arbor Day Carbon initiative, utilizing carbon markets to promote tree planting and nurturing. His work at Arbor Day Carbon, coupled with his efforts to recruit landowners for outdoor activities at Powderhook, highlighted the critical importance of building trust with landowners.
These experiences culminated in the founding of Landoption, a company that connects landowners with alternative land-use programs to promote sustainable practices. Eric’s approach to business—working hard, learning quickly, and taking good care of people—has remained consistent throughout his career.
As board chair of Outdoor Mentors, Eric is committed to inspiring the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts. He leverages his extensive background in conservation and business to support the organization’s mission of connecting youth with mentors through outdoor activities.
Eric is an avid hunter, angler, conservationist, and chef. He enjoys sharing outdoor adventures with his family and friends. He resides in rural Nebraska with his family and their small zoo of animals.
Brett A. Walton
CEO-President of Walton’s Inc.
Brett Walton is the CEO and President of Walton’s Inc. Walton’s distributes meat processing supplies and equipment to independent and home meat processors. In 1996, Brett and his Dad (Don) purchased Holly-Harneds and merged the company with Don’s previous business to form what exists today as Walton’s Inc. Don retired in 2009 and Brett assumed the role of CEO.
Brett was born, raised, and has spent his entire life near Wichita, Kansas. He spent part of his young life raising hogs at home and workings on farms. Brett’s first experience in the meat industry was working for a small meat processor while in high school. He spent 13 years working in the corrugated box industry before joining his Dad to create the company known today as Walton’s Inc.
Brett has previously served on the board of the American Association of Meat Processors, The Kansas Association of Meat Processors, and the Holy Cross Lutheran Church Council. He received the Kansas Meat Processors Association Distinguished Service Award in 2018, and he received the Nebraska Association of Meat Processors Achievement Award in 2014.
In 1985, Brett married Sandy, and they now have four children (Cole, Austin, Dylan and Ali) and three grandsons (Hudson, Bowan and Leo). Brett enjoys activities with his family, such as hunting upland birds, Kansas State football games, and ATV riding in Colorado.
Pete Alfano
Founding Partner of Whitetail Properties
Pete Alfano is a founding partner of Whitetail Properties. Pete remains an agent at Whitetail Properties, continuing to serve as a Land Specialist for buyers and sellers seeking expertise in rural property markets and values. Whitetail Properties also relies on Pete as an advisor to the company’s leadership team on rural-market trends and buyer tendencies. Many in the hunting community and industry recognize Pete by his frequent appearances on Whitetail Properties TV. The company’s television show, which airs on The Sportsmen Channel, helps promote property listings and showcases extraordinary hunts as a result of science-based wildlife management and habitat enhancements of rural properties.
Over the years, Pete’s has also owned a couple of successful hunting lodges: one in Kentucky and another in southern Illinois. He’s owned rural properties in Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona and Kansas. And he’s been published in numerous outdoor publications including North American Whitetail, Wired to Hunt and Minnesota Outdoor News.
While Pete’s unorthodox experience in business ownership — having assumed these responsibilities at such a young age — have proven invaluable to his success at Whitetail Properties, his success can also be attributed to simply pursuing the things that he was personally passionate about. Pete, a second-generation Italian-American whose father migrated to the U.S. from Sicily, was born in Chicago and moved to Pittsfield, Illinois when he was 15. He currently lives with his wife Christie in Oak Grove, Minnesota, northwest of the Twin Cities.
Since Whitetail Properties was founded in 2007, it has grown into a nationally recognized brand and considered North America's top choice when it comes to buying and selling recreational hunting, ranch, farm and timber land. Today, Whitetail Properties has over 300 Land Specialists covering 38 states and counting. To date, the company's team has sold over 1.3 million acres thanks to Whitetail Properties national network of land buyers of hunting, ranch and farm land. Whitetail Properties averages over 10 properties sold every day company-wide.
The Whitetail Properties corporate office is located in the heart of Pike County, Illinois - known around the world for giant whitetails and fertile farm ground. The corporate office provides a level of support to their national team of Land Specialists with marketing, accounting, public relations, information technology, video production and real estate administration.
Joel Hodgdon
Marketing Director of RCBS
A lifelong hunter, shooter, and handloader, Joel Hodgdon serves as RCBS's Marketing Director leading the charge to make reloading easier, faster and more precise. With previous experience at Remington, Federal Ammunition, and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Joel started work in the hunting and shooting industry with his family at Hodgdon Powder Company.
Joel, his wife Kelsey, and son Noah live in Shawnee, Kansas. Joel also spends time at RCBS's historic factory in Oroville, California.
Joel can frequently be found at the reloading bench, at the range behind a rifle or in a tree stand teaching others about conservation, hunting and the shooting sports. He is a life member and supporter of all leading conservation, youth, and second amendment advocacy organizations.
Beth Shimanski
Director of Marketing of Savage Arms
Beth Shimanski is the Director of Marketing for Savage Arms. She joined Savage in 2017, since then her hunting passion has been ignited. She is now an avid hunter and shooter and loves tackling new challenges whenever they arise. She loves continual learning and creating content to help others, like herself, who want to be more active and comfortable in this space but are not always sure where to turn for the advice.
Raised in Hutchinson, MN, Beth grew up being very active and spending time in the outdoors- Hiking, camping, fishing and still enjoys those passions today. After being a 3-sport athlete in Hutchinson, she followed her passion of swimming to a 4-year career at the University of Minnesota. She stayed near her passion of swimming by coaching for 15 years after college at the collegiate and high school level. Her love of helping others become better versions of themselves and helping them achieve things they once thought impossible was further cultivated while coaching.
Beth earned a Bachelors degree in Sports Management from the University of Minnesota, a Masters degree in Sports Administration from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, and her MBA from Augsburg College. Prior to joining Savage, she spent a decade at Polaris Industries, where she fell in love with connecting her brands to people who also loved the outdoors. When she joined Savage Arms, she took that same passion and applied it to the hunting and shooting sports communities.
Today Beth spends time with her family in the woods or on the waters of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Hiking, hunting and exploring has become a huge part of her free-time and she enjoys seeing as much of our beautiful world as she can.
Mark Estrada
Mark has 20yrs+ of Executive Leadership experience with world leading apparel businesses including Under Armour, Cabela's, PROIS, VEIL Camo, & more.
After showcasing his ability at Cabela's, Mark was recruited by Under Armour, where he grew the Under Armour Hunt/Fish Division from $0 to $350M in annual revenue. Following his time at Under Armour, Mark moved back to the midwest to oversee multiple industry-leading outdoor brands for Hadley Development. Mark has expert level knowledge in soft goods from design, to sourcing, financial planning, marketing, and more. Mark has spent extensive time in China, Vietnam, & India creating meaningful relationships with factories, and learning. Mark has owned billion $ finance & marketing strategies, & consistently exceeded expectations. Though his career, Mark's leadership has contributed to billions of $$$ in product revenue.
Mark is known for bringing the best out in his team, being a leader in driving innovation throughout the industry, creating meaningful relationships, & exceeding expectations. Mark business relationship with factories have grown to true friendships where he has frequently traveled overseas for weddings & family events. Furthermore, many of his previous hires have went on into executive leadership roles for major companies, & they remain dear friends for life.
Mark loves his 5 kids, and relishes any opportunity he has to coach them. Mark loves adventure & the outdoors, and has recently developed a passion for health so he can maintain his youthful energy indefinitely. Mark loves to work hard, and he loves to push the boundaries of what is possible.
Mitch Strobl
Co-Founder of Recademics.com
Throughout his career, Mitch Strobl has focused on leveraging technology to enhance outdoor engagement. He is a Co-Founder of Recademics.com, an innovative online education platform that offers a wide range of courses, from basic hunter safety to species-specific training. Before joining Recademics, Mitch collaborated with State Fish & Wildlife agencies to create online licensing systems and mobile applications aimed at simplifying the purchase of licenses and tags, as well as improving harvest reporting processes. He is also a dedicated volunteer hunter education instructor, sharing his passion for safe and responsible hunting with new generations. Additionally, Mitch has contributed to initiatives like the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports TAG committee, which refined the National R3 Plan adopted by state agencies and partner organizations nationwide. Mitch resides in Dallas, Texas, with his wife, children, and Wirehaired Pointer, George. When he’s not hard at work or coaching kids sports, you can find Mitch in the field with his blaze orange on, or in a tree with his bow in hand and safety harness on.
Kelsey Puryear
Chief Operations Officer at Murray Road Agency
Kelsey Puryear is an accomplished professional who has dedicated her career to the agency world. As the Chief Operations Officer at Murray Road Agency, she possesses extensive experience in integrated account support and management. Kelsey's expertise spans event management, media planning and media buying for diverse clients, and she has consistently led and managed teams across various marketing and communication disciplines, including advertising, social media and strategic partnerships.
Beyond her professional achievements, Kelsey's passion for shooting sports has played a pivotal role in her life. Her journey began as a child, accompanying her father to the shooting range, where she discovered her love for trap shooting. Over the years, her enthusiasm for shooting sports has grown to encompass big game, turkey and upland hunting. Kelsey channels this passion to enhance her contributions at the Murray Road Agency.
Kelsey, along with her husband Davis and their two children, Griffith and Morgan, currently reside in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Kelsey Puryear embodies a unique blend of professional acumen, a fervent passion for shooting sports, and a dedication to her community, making her a standout leader in her field.