Bostic retires after 29 years with Mo. Dept. of Natural Resources

After nearly 29 years of public service with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Jackson Bostic recently made what he described as the tough decision to retire.

Bostic is stepping down Friday as the director of the Southeast Regional Office, a position he has held since 2012.

“I’m going to miss the people,” but not the work, said Bostic. “… I enjoyed my time (because) there is such a variety and such a multitude of things you can do within the department.”

Bostic began his career with DNR as a soil scientist, then served about 10 years as an on-scene coordinator for the Environmental Emergency Response section. Before becoming regional director, Bostic also served about two years as ombudsmen for the Southeast Missouri area and as an environmental specialist.

Bostic said he loved his time in emergency response, where he spent the “bulk” of his career.

“I think I enjoyed that because there was so much chaos and confusion when you arrive on a scene,” Bostic explained. “It was like working a complex jigsaw puzzle.

“Anytime you went to an emergency, there were multiple personalities on the scene, and every one of them wanted to be boss.”

Bostic described it as being fun to “make that team atmosphere work.”

The management part of Bostic’s job, he said, was the most challenging.

When dealing with chemicals in an emergency response situation, “they usually have a known outcome,” Bostic said. “Sometimes, the employees don’t.”

Bostic said he always had his employees’ best interests at heart when he tried to “excite or promote an employee into being all that they (could) be, even, at times, against their will.”

The staff at the Southeast Regional office is “among the best in the state,” Bostic said. “They’re dedicated and care a lot about helping people.”

Although Bostic “always knew” he would retire from the department, he said, it was a “tough decision to make up my mind to retire because I enjoyed helping our regulated communities comply with environmental regulations.

“Protecting the environment and growing Missouri’s economy can not be exclusive of one another. A healthy environment and a thriving economy are what makes Missouri what it is and a magnet for growth.”

When Bostic worked in emergency response “I missed a lot of my daughter’s years growing up,” he said. “Now that I have my granddaughter, 1-year-old granddaughter, I’m going to make up for some of that lost time.”

Bostic said he doesn’t expect it to be hard to leave DNR.

“I don’t think there will be any kind of regrets because I know the capability of the staff that’s there and the wisdom of the management,” he said, “so I think the office will continue to thrive.”