John LaFave, State Geologist of Montana

John LaFave has been named interim Director of the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) as successor to John Metesh. John has been part of the MBMG research staff since 1993; most recently, he served as the Research Division Chief. For many years, he served as the Program Manager for the Montana Ground Water Assessment Program. His research has focused on enhancing groundwater monitoring of Montana's principal aquifers and assessing regional groundwater quality. He has also served as an Associate Director of the Montana Water Center, a western-state representative to the National Groundwater Monitoring Network Board, and an Affiliate Faculty member of the Montana Tech Department of Geological Engineering. He holds an M.A. in geology from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.S. in geology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Welcome, John!

Rodney Alan Combellick, 1951-2025

Rod Combellick passed away unexpectedly at the age of 74 due to a stroke on August 24th, 2025. After his youth in Littleton, Colorado, he completed a BS in geology at University of Washington in 1973, and an MS in geology at University of Southern California. He was employed by the Alaska state geological survey for 32 years, beginning in 1981. His specialties were Quaternary geology, engineering geology, as well as earthquake and tsunami hazards in Alaska. He became Deputy Director in 2002, and was acting State Geologist from 2003 to 2004, prior to his retirement in 2013. He was an accomplished classical organist, and also a pilot. He volunteered with AARP during retirement. He will be missed.

John D. Kiefer, 1940 - 2025

John Kiefer passed away at the age of 85 on September 13, 2025. John earned his Bachelor’s at St. Joseph’s College in Indiana, and his Masters and PhD in Geology from the University of Illinois. He served for three decades with Kentucky Geological Survey, having started in 1979 after brief employment with the Alabama survcey. He was assistant State Geologist most of this time, and in that role he was not known to miss an AASG Annual Meeting. AASG established the Associate and Honorary Associate recognitions with John and few others initially in mind. After retirement in 2009, in 2010, he was the first associate to receive the AASG Distinguished Service Award. He was active with GSA. His service to society was extensive. He will be missed.

John Metesh named Critical Materials Executive Director

On September 1st, John Metesh stepped down as State Geologist of Montana, a position he held since 2012, and was appointed Executive Director of the Montana Tech Critical Materials Initiatives. John was the 2023-2024 AASG President. He holds a Master’s degree in geological/geophysical engineering from Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology, and a Ph.D. in geology from University of Montana. John’s expertise is in geochemical modeling, hydrogeology, and hydrogeochemistry. Thanks for your service, and good luck, John!

Ranie Lynds is State Geologist of Wyoming

In August, Ranie Lynds was named Interim Director of the Wyoming State Geological Survey, upon the departure of Erin Campbell who served in the role since 2017. Ranie joined the survey in 2012 and has served as Energy and Mineral Resources Manager since 2017. She has focused on oil and gas, and led the Wyoming Statemap and EarthMRI programs. Ranie earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees from Stanford University and a PhD in fluvial sedimentology from the University of Wyoming. Welcome, Ranie!

New facility for USGS and CO School of Mines taking shape

The Colorado School of Mines and USGS have announced progress on a partially built new building. The USGS Energy and Minerals Research Facility to open in 2027 will include 20 labs and space for 70 CSM and 200 USGS scientists. Included will be a comprehensive mineral characterization lab, and a fluid inclusion lab. The Colorado Geological Survey will be nearby on the School of Mines campus, where they have been located since 2013. Construction of the building signifies the great importance and bright future of geological survey work and public sector research in supporting the needs of the nation.