ACD's Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is a locally-elected board that helps guide and support the goals and direction of the conservation district. It is composed of five Antrim County residents, and the staff and board meet once a month with the public welcome. These meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m. at the Antrim Conservation District office (4820 Stover Rd., Bellaire).
Meet our Board of Directors:
Bryan Smith, Chairperson
Bryan Smith hails from the Bellaire area, born and raised here and a third generation Bellaire Eagles student. After college he worked as a banker in Lansing for about ten years until he moved into the real estate field for 30+ years. As a retiree, his hobby as a horseman led to his current horse boarding business where he and his best friend and partner Shelley care for horses boarded by their owners from around the county. Bryan has one daughter in North Carolina and two grandchildren.
Bryan served as an Antrim County commissioner for two terms and as the liaison to the Antrim Conservation District during his tenure. His strong interest in nature and conservation led him to become the ACD Board Chairman. Bryan’s sense of compassion and concern for people and our environment has given the boards that he serves on valuable insight and experience that helps the communities he serves continue to move forward in growth and success.
Adrienne Wolff, Vice Chairperson
Adrienne Wolff was appointed to fill a board vacancy in 2022. As a small farmer, her experience brings insight and innovation to the ACD board. Like other board members, Adrienne wants to serve and being on the board helps involve her more in the community. She recognizes that many of the services and benefits the ACD offers to Antrim County tie into her lifestyle, vision, and goals.
Born in Royal Oak, Adrienne and her husband Doug moved to Central Lake in 2017. They have three cats, two dogs, and a growing farm business called, Buckwheat’s Market Garden. Adrienne states that they love living up north as they feel better connected to nature and the environment compared to the city life in which she was raised.
Adrienne holds a fine arts degree from Western Michigan that gives her insight and creativity in her career. She’s certified from MSU in Organic Farming and has brought these practices into her business and into the community though long-time participation in summer and winter farm markets in the county.
Her positive energy, zest for life, and eagerness to try new things helps the ACD with a fresh perspective and enthusiasm that helps drive the ACD conservation mission. Adrienne values decreasing the carbon footprints we leave and believes that the efforts we make in our own homes, like recycling, composting, and of course growing our own foods, can make a big impact in our communities. While Adrienne is an avid vegetable farmer, she says her favorite things to grow are flowers, especially cosmos! Nature is art at its finest.
Born in Royal Oak, Adrienne and her husband Doug moved to Central Lake in 2017. They have three cats, two dogs, and a growing farm business called, Buckwheat’s Market Garden. Adrienne states that they love living up north as they feel better connected to nature and the environment compared to the city life in which she was raised.
Adrienne holds a fine arts degree from Western Michigan that gives her insight and creativity in her career. She’s certified from MSU in Organic Farming and has brought these practices into her business and into the community though long-time participation in summer and winter farm markets in the county.
Her positive energy, zest for life, and eagerness to try new things helps the ACD with a fresh perspective and enthusiasm that helps drive the ACD conservation mission. Adrienne values decreasing the carbon footprints we leave and believes that the efforts we make in our own homes, like recycling, composting, and of course growing our own foods, can make a big impact in our communities. While Adrienne is an avid vegetable farmer, she says her favorite things to grow are flowers, especially cosmos! Nature is art at its finest.
Randy Johnson, Director
Randy joined our board in 2019. A retired fish farmer, Randy wishes to “give back” to the conservation district, as it provided valuable support with early redevelopment and management practices of his farm, Glacier Springs Trout Farm. Randy has a rich history in conservation, studying fisheries biology for his undergrad and fisheries biology and aquatic ecology for his masters at Michigan State University. He and his wife, Bonnie, volunteered through the US Peace Corps in the Philippines in a fisheries program from 1973 to 1975. Randy has two daughters, and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren.
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Kathleen Peterson, Director
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Kathleen's Bio Coming Soon! |
Deb Pruitt, Director
Deb grew up in upstate New York, which is so much like Michigan that Antrim county feels like home to her. Between New York and Michigan, she moved a lot; one of her daughters was born on the island of Guam and the other in Illinois. Deb and her husband stayed in Illinois to raise their kids, and she taught middle school social studies. In 2018, Deb and her husband took a spontaneous spring break road trip to Michigan. Five days later, they owned a home in Antrim County! Their intention was to restore a very neglected old house, but along the way they realized that they also had a responsibility to the land and the wildlife that lived there long before they did. Their property is covered with non-native grasses, weeds, shrubs and trees, some of them noxious invasives. It's work in progress, but they are determined to improve the habitat for the wild ones. Deb puts all that she has learned to good use as an ACD board member.
"I am grateful that there are many people here like me, who value the clean water, fresh air, forests and fields. Volunteering to help with the ACD tree sale was my first step toward contributing to the environmental health of Antrim County. I want to support the conservation district in its efforts to promote healthy habitats."
Deb grew up in upstate New York, which is so much like Michigan that Antrim county feels like home to her. Between New York and Michigan, she moved a lot; one of her daughters was born on the island of Guam and the other in Illinois. Deb and her husband stayed in Illinois to raise their kids, and she taught middle school social studies. In 2018, Deb and her husband took a spontaneous spring break road trip to Michigan. Five days later, they owned a home in Antrim County! Their intention was to restore a very neglected old house, but along the way they realized that they also had a responsibility to the land and the wildlife that lived there long before they did. Their property is covered with non-native grasses, weeds, shrubs and trees, some of them noxious invasives. It's work in progress, but they are determined to improve the habitat for the wild ones. Deb puts all that she has learned to good use as an ACD board member.
"I am grateful that there are many people here like me, who value the clean water, fresh air, forests and fields. Volunteering to help with the ACD tree sale was my first step toward contributing to the environmental health of Antrim County. I want to support the conservation district in its efforts to promote healthy habitats."