Presenter - Bill Heck

Location
Oxford Senior Center
922 Tollgate Drive
Oxford, OH 45056

Those of us of a certain age may think only of dark jungles and forbidding swamps when we hear the names Cambodia and Vietnam. But these days, increasing tourism has revealed countries with rich histories, growing modern cities, and multiple beautiful and bountiful habitats. And then there are the birds: both countries have a wide range of fascinating and colorful species. Bill Heck and his wife Mary recently spent three weeks in these amazing countries, and Bill will recount some of their impressions and adventures – and, of course, will focus on those avian wonders.

William (Bill) Heck currently serves on the Grange Insurance Audubon Center Advisory Board. His previous volunteer activities include six years on the Board of Directors of the National Audubon Society and service as president of Columbus Audubon; treasurer of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory; member of the advisory board of Audubon Ohio; and a member of the nominating committee and the Board of Directors of the Ohio Ornithological Society.  A former resident of southwestern Ohio, Bill has been president of Audubon Miami Valley; served as treasurer of the Three Valley Conservation Trust; and was treasurer of the Environmental Mobile Unit in Oxford.

He retired in 2007 after a career in information technology management in both the private and public sectors.  He holds BA (Heidelberg University), MA (Kent State University), and MBA (Miami University) degrees.

When not working with conservation and birding organizations, Bill travels extensively, usually on birding trips. His destinations have included a number of countries in Central and South America as well as Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Uganda, Madagascar, Thailand, the Philippinesm Australia, and Cambodia and Vietnam.  His wife, Mary, joins him on the less lunatic of these adventures.

Bill’s friends describe him as an obsessive birder but otherwise harmless.