He served as the 5th Director of the United States Bureau of Mines from 1926 to 1934 and was the 18th recipient of the Hoover Medal.

[1][4] His father owned a 1,200 acre Springdale Farm in Lansing, a property known for its prize beef at the time.

[1] Turner started his career as mining engineer, developing mineral deposits in Alaska, Panama, Canada and 14 other countries.

[6] In 1932, he served as president of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME).

[4][7][8] Turner sold Springdale Farm to the city of Lansing after World War II.