Looks like the Rob McCanna is out. Served as Executive Director for less than ten months. The leader of the coup that led many of the former directors and executive leadership to resign has been installed as the Interim Executive Director. Meanwhile the President-Elect of the conservation dedicated organization is off hunting animals by the dozens. What a cluster . . .


DSC Leadership Update
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dallas Safari Club Announces Russell Stacy as Interim Executive Director

DALLAS, Texas (October 22, 2025) — Dallas Safari Club (DSC), a worldwide leader in hunter-funded conservation, is pleased to announce that Russell Stacy, former DSC Board Director and DSC Foundation President, has been appointed to serve as Interim Executive Director, effective immediately.

Stacy, a longtime supporter and leader within the DSC community, steps into this role as the organization initiates a succession plan for its top executive position following the departure of Rob McCanna, who had served as CEO since January 2025.

“Russell brings a wealth of experience, strong leadership, and a deep understanding of DSC’s mission and vision,” said Ray Mulholland, DSC President. “He is exceptionally qualified to guide our organization through this interim period, ensuring stability and continued progress as we move forward to celebrate DSC’s Convention, taking place this coming February in Atlanta.”

A familiar face to many within DSC and the broader international hunting community, Stacy has co-chaired the DSC Convention for the past four years alongside his wife, Mary Edith. He has served in numerous other volunteer and leadership roles over the years and has long been recognized for his commitment to advancing DSC’s mission of Conservation, Education, and Advocacy. His proven leadership and passion for conservation make him ideally suited to lead DSC during this period.

“I am honored to step into this role and continue working alongside our dedicated board members, staff, volunteers, members, and exhibitors,” Stacy said. “Together, we have accomplished great things, and I look forward to building on that momentum. The future holds exciting opportunities for DSC, and I am committed to advancing our key organizational priorities and to ensuring the future of our hunting heritage.”

Mulholland expressed the Board’s appreciation for McCanna, stating “The DSC Board values the significant contributions Rob has made as CEO. His efforts have been pivotal in guiding this great organization through numerous recent challenges and milestones.”

The DSC Board anticipates a seamless transition and remains confident in the strength of DSC’s management team and dedicated staff. “The entire Board of Directors has full faith and confidence in Russell and our outstanding team to continue advancing DSC’s mission fulfillment objectives,” Mulholland added.

As DSC looks ahead to its 2026 Convention, the organization remains steadfast in its commitment to serve members, volunteers, partners, and the entire global hunting and conservation community with integrity and excellence.

Wow. I gotta agree with your assessment. It may be all legal but not a good look as the face of the conservation based, hunters advocacy organization.

To remain relevant, we must always put our best foot forward.

Looks a bit grim.
However, we still need DSC. At some point, smarter and cooler heads will prevail...

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Looks a bit grim.
However, we still need DSC. At some point, smarter and cooler heads will prevail...

Yes.

Just like SCI!

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Looks a bit grim.
However, we still need DSC. At some point, smarter and cooler heads will prevail...

Hope so. But NRA and SCI both have had similar issues. LaPierre and his disastrous televised Elephant hunt, the well publicized SCI issues we all speak about.

When DSC was formed, they made sure to not have these same image issues.

I have zero respect for anyone who shoots an entire area’s quota trying to kill a certain size.

That is not conservation through hunting.

I do not care what anyone on this forum says.

I’ve said for years that Russell was a big part of the problems DSC was experiencing. I saw first hand how he tried to manipulate the board and made poor choices. He pretty much ran the show and now they’ve given him the title, I don’t see anything good coming from this, other than he resigned from both boards.

When I first went to DSC, I immediately joined as a life member . Today I regret that .

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:
I’ve said for years that Russell was a big part of the problems DSC was experiencing. I saw first hand how he tried to manipulate the board and made poor choices. He pretty much ran the show and now they’ve given him the title, I don’t see anything good coming from this, other than he resigned from both boards.

Anyone know anything about the guy?

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:
I’ve said for years that Russell was a big part of the problems DSC was experiencing. I saw first hand how he tried to manipulate the board and made poor choices. He pretty much ran the show and now they’ve given him the title, I don’t see anything good coming from this, other than he resigned from both boards.

Almost like he needs a job or something.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:
I’ve said for years that Russell was a big part of the problems DSC was experiencing. I saw first hand how he tried to manipulate the board and made poor choices. He pretty much ran the show and now they’ve given him the title, I don’t see anything good coming from this, other than he resigned from both boards.

Almost like he needs a job or something.

Someone shared something with me that made me have the same thought. The rumor I heard was that his homes/farms whatever were being foreclosed on in Louisiana. Maybe just a rumor. Pity to see the wheels coming off of DSC like this. I never would have imagined this four or five years ago.

Mike…not a rumor. I’ve seen the original petition, available online.

Well I guess a great way to get a job is to use your position on the board to fire someone whose position you can replace. This has a lot of the same stink of Wayne LaPierre and the NRA management abuses. It took litigation to get the NRA sorted out. Wonder if it comes to that with DSC. I am sure they paid the departing Executive Director a nice severance that includes a nondisclosure undertaking to ensure that he keeps his mouth shut but sure would be nice to hear from him. Maybe if and when he is deposed.

I know LaPierre had his had in various pots, but can the basic salaries for these orgs CEOs be that good?

Ultimately every position comes with power and that can be easily abused…what a classic human nature that is.
I have seen excellent tradesmen/laborers put in position of foreman and how some changed over night almost to the point of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Never been to DSC or been member but maybe one I will.
I don’t hold Org at fault because of few individuals
So I’ll see and will become member in year or so…what the hell right?

quote:

I know LaPierre had his had in various pots, but can the basic salaries for these orgs CEOs be that good?

Would $325,000 to almost $500,000, plus bonus be considered good? One can look at the orgs Form 990 on the internet, key personnel salaries are posted.

https://natchitochesparishjour...usiness-partnership/


Link to article about the foreclosure

quote:

Link to article about the foreclosure

If you scroll down you can click on a link to the original petition , pretty interesting and this is who controls an 8-10 million dollar club.

Just another example of a good organization gone bad due to greed, ego and avarice. Sad but no surprise…

This is quite sketchy.

I have been a proud member since the 1980s (youth member then), as my AR handle may suggest, but I have been very disappointed with the organization over the past three years or so.

At the most recent annual meeting, I was impressed with McCanna’s proactive response to the Atlanta debacle, which he walked into just weeks into his role. At the same meeting, Stacy was the only one on the suggested slate who did not receive my vote because of some of the underhanded actions I had heard about.

Something definitely stinks in this whole deal and I don’t like it. I wish they haven’t gone too far down the road where the bridge is out…

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Well I guess a great way to get a job is to use your position on the board to fire someone whose position you can replace. This has a lot of the same stink of Wayne LaPierre and the NRA management abuses. It took litigation to get the NRA sorted out. Wonder if it comes to that with DSC. I am sure they paid the departing Executive Director a nice severance that includes a nondisclosure undertaking to ensure that he keeps his mouth shut but sure would be nice to hear from him. Maybe if and when he is deposed.

He sounds like a MINI TRUMP!

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
I have zero respect for anyone who shoots an entire area’s quota trying to kill a certain size.

That is not conservation through hunting.

I do not care what anyone on this forum says.

May be they are not shooting for size!

Just enjoy hunting!

If you really want to promote so called “conservation “

Don’t shoot any!

Let the animals be!

In this case, we know he shkt sn entire stress quota for Komodo simply to hit a specific size.

I have no use for that behavior. That behavior is not conservation through hunting.

I do not hunt to be hunting or to kill. If there was a better method of wildlife and habitat conservation, including funding, than I would quit hunting.

Hunting, especially international hunting, is a means to an end. It is not the end.

However, I forget this is AR. We only profess ideals like conservation, elections, etc, when it is convenient for us.

There was supposedly a 5 year contract. Wonder if they had to pay him?

"I do not hunt to be hunting or to kill. If there was a better method of wildlife and habitat conservation, including funding, than I would quit hunting."


Bloody hell!

What does this mean??

What the hell are you doing on a hunting forum then!!

Isn't the fuse that lit this mess the decision to move the show to Atlanta? One bad decision can have many consequences.

quote:

Originally posted by GunsCore:
Isn't the fuse that lit this mess the decision to move the show to Atlanta? One bad decision can have many consequences.

I think it started earlier.

Once the self glorifying individuals got in the rot started!

They want to catch up with SCI!

quote:

Isn't the fuse that lit this mess the decision to move the show to Atlanta? One bad decision can have many consequences.

The fuse was lit about 4 years ago in the aftermath of the “Save DSC” debacle. I cautioned the board at that time about a couple of individuals and what I perceived as their intent. These people were working several angles to gain more power to advance their agenda, including yearly bylaw changes that the membership blindly voted to approve. Most if not all of the bylaw changes were drafted by the guy in question and his wife. One of the most significant changes they made was to change the chief executive from the President to the Executive Director, the DSC press release sort of left that part out. I guess we will see pretty quickly how this unfolds, I’ve heard some pretty big sponsors aren’t real happy about the situation.
Perhaps the whole foreclosure thing has been worked out, but I for one don’t like the idea of someone that defaulted on more than one large loan being in control of the clubs purse strings.

I agree with Karl. I think the genesis of the current debacle has roots going back way before the move to Atlanta was contemplated. Sort of sad to say, but it starts to feel like the best thing that could happen to DSC would be for it to be absorbed by SCI. At least it would eliminate a lot of overhead and free that money up for lobbying, conservation, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
I agree with Karl. I think the genesis of the current debacle has roots going back way before the move to Atlanta was contemplated. Sort of sad to say, but it starts to feel like the best thing that could happen to DSC would be for it to be absorbed by SCI. At least it would eliminate a lot of overhead and free that money up for lobbying, conservation, etc.

I am 100% certain that SCI would be interested.

Well making a merger or an acquisition come together frequently involves needing to address social issues with the management of the target. Perhaps if SCI could propose some special crown, maybe coupled with a sash and ornamental scepter, that might be an inducement for the current DSC team. Perhaps a most animals killed in one year inner circle.

quote:

Well making a merger or an acquisition come together frequently involves needing to address social issues with the management of the target. Perhaps if SCI could propose some special crown, maybe coupled with a sash and ornamental scepter, that might be an inducement for the current DSC team. Perhaps a most animals killed in one year inner circle.

Well, the new CEO/ED’s daughter recently won a big SCI award…

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:

quote:

I know LaPierre had his had in various pots, but can the basic salaries for these orgs CEOs be that good?

Would $325,000 to almost $500,000, plus bonus be considered good? One can look at the orgs Form 990 on the internet, key personnel salaries are posted.

Holy shit!! I can make bad decisions for far less than that.

quote:

Originally posted by TWL:
I know LaPierre had his had in various pots, but can the basic salaries for these orgs CEOs be that good?

No but the size of the organizations are vastly different. At its peak, the NRA had about 5.5 million members and LaPierre was raking it in - both legitimately and otherwise.

According to the 2023 DSC Form 990, Corey Mason was making about $330,000 which would have put him somewhere in the ranks of the divisional managers at the NRA but on the lower end. That said, while I don't know the actual membership of DSC, I'd be surprised if it was over 50,000 members.

Back to the NRA, we have cleaned house. No divisional manager from the LaPierre days is still there and the EVP/CEO is paid a fraction of what LaPierre made in his heyday. The reformers of which I am one have gained control of the NRA and are working hard to rebuild it. Only 3 of what I term the "old guard" are on the ballot in the upcoming 2026 board election. The bottom line is you can clean up an organization but it takes time, effort, and a willingness to demand change.

John Richardson