William Ruckelshaus - Subsequent Career

Subsequent Career

In 1985, Ruckelshaus joined Perkins Coie, a Seattle-based law firm. From 1983-86, he served on the World Commission on Environment and Development set up by the United Nations. Around 1988, he became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Browning Ferris Industries of Houston, Texas.

President Bill Clinton appointed him as U.S. envoy in the implementation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty; he was that from 1997 to 1998. In 1999, he was appointed by Governor Gary Locke as Chairman of the Salmon Recovery Funding Board for the State of Washington.

In the early 2000s (decade), Ruckelshaus was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the United States Commission on Ocean Policy. On September 20, 2004, the Commission submitted its Final Report to the President and Congress, An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century.

Ruckelshaus serves or has served as a director on boards of several corporations, including Monsanto, Cummins Engine Company, Pharmacia Corporation, Solutia, Coinstar, Nordstrom, and Weyerhaeuser Company.

He is Chair of the Advisory Board of The William D. Ruckelshaus Center at the University of Washington and Washington State University, Chair Emeritus of the University of Wyoming's Ruckelshaus Institute for Environment and Natural Resources, Chairman Emeritus of the World Resources Institute, and Chair of the Meridian Institute. He is a director of the Initiative for Global Development.

On April 17, 2008, Ruckelshaus made news again when he announced his endorsement of Democrat Barack Obama for President of the United States.

On May 7, 2008, Ruckelshaus was appointed to the Washington State Puget Sound Partnership, an agency devoted to cleaning up Puget Sound.