Governor Kelly Announces Retirement of Wildlife and Parks Secretary Brad Loveless

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Secretary Brad Loveless intends to retire upon the appointment of a new secretary in 2024. 

“Congratulations to Secretary Brad Loveless on his well-deserved retirement,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I thank him for his commitment to conservation, to our state parks, and to ensuring Kansans can enjoy the great outdoors for generations to come. His expertise will be greatly missed.” 

Loveless was appointed to the role in January 2019. During Loveless’ tenure, the Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park and the Lehigh Portland State Park were established, and Kansas’ Flint Hills Trail was added to the National Trails System. To address recruitment and retention stability, law enforcement-trained staff have also been made part of the Kansas Police & Fire Retirement System. Under his leadership, KDWP opened an additional research facility and successfully stocked three protected species – Plains Minnows and Neosho and Fatmucker Mussels.  

“It’s difficult to express how grateful I am to Governor Kelly for this opportunity to work with my smart, dedicated, hard-working colleagues at Wildlife and Parks,” KDWP Secretary Brad Loveless said. “By supporting staff and their good ideas for how to best accomplish promoting the health and wise use of our fish, wildlife, and abundant recreational resources, a dream of mine was fulfilled – serving the people and state that I love.” 

Secretary Loveless added, “In retiring from this role, I won’t be running away from this great work but rather running toward more time with my wife Mindy, my boys and their kids, and my mom back in Ohio so that I can enjoy more days with them and all of our friends in the Sunflower State.” 

To make the transition as smooth as possible, the Kelly administration will begin its search for a new secretary in the coming days. 

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