Little River Wetlands Project
Board Members:
Thom Maher, President, is Vice President, Human Resources for BRC Rubber & Plastics in Churubusco. Active in
several groups, Thom is Vice President and a board member of Northeast Indiana Pheasants Forever. At LRWP, Thom
chairs the Executive and Eagle Marsh Stewardship Committees and serves on the Eagle Marsh Restoration
Committee.
Betsy Huguenard, Vice President, is a part-time school teacher and longtime nature lover who chairs the Arrowhead
Properties Stewardship Committee and serves on the Executive, Finance, Fundraising, and Land Acquisition
Committees.
Barry Ellis, Treasurer, is a senior accountant at a local CPA firm and a Certified Financial Planner. A lifelong nature
lover, Barry chairs the Finance Committee.
Judy Nelsen, Secretary, is a retired professor and Indiana Master Naturalist. Judy chairs the Fundraising Committee
and serves on the Executive and Finance Committees.
Dwight Ericsson, retired Director of the Merillat Centre for the Arts at Huntington University, is active with
Historic Forks of the Wabash in Huntington and is a past member and current alternate on the Wabash River Heritage
Corridor Commission. At LRWP Dwight serves on the Fundraising Committee.
John Schutt is Professor of Biology and Environmental Science at Taylor University in Fort Wayne. John chairs the
Land Use and Research Committee and serves on the Eagle Marsh Restoration Committee.
Tim Skiver is a Fort Wayne firefighter and Wetlands Specialist at Earth Source, Inc. in Fort Wayne. Tim chairs the
Eagle Marsh Restoration Committee and is active on the Land Acquisition Committee.
Karen Surguine is retired from Delaware Investments/Lincoln National Corp. where she was a Vice President of
commercial mortgages and real estate lending. She currently works part-time as a commercial mortgage banker and is
an Indiana Master Naturalist. Karen serves on the Fundraising Committee.
Dani Tippmann is a Miami Native American knowledgeable about traditional uses of native plants and other aspects of
Miami culture and history. She has served on the Miami Nation of Indiana Council and makes presentations on Miami
life throughout Indiana. At LRWP, Dani is active on the Education Committee.
Mark Werling is an attorney employed by Baker & Daniels, LLP. Mark serves on the Finance Committee and assists
LRWP with legal matters when needed.
Dennis White is Property Manager, Salamonie Reservoir. Dennis chairs the Land Acquisition Committee and serves
on the Fundraising and Land Use and Research Committees.
Thom Maher, President, is Vice President, Human Resources for BRC Rubber & Plastics in Churubusco. Active in
several groups, Thom is Vice President and a board member of Northeast Indiana Pheasants Forever. At LRWP, Thom
chairs the Executive and Eagle Marsh Stewardship Committees and serves on the Eagle Marsh Restoration
Committee.
Betsy Huguenard, Vice President, is a part-time school teacher and longtime nature lover who chairs the Arrowhead
Properties Stewardship Committee and serves on the Executive, Finance, Fundraising, and Land Acquisition
Committees.
Barry Ellis, Treasurer, is a senior accountant at a local CPA firm and a Certified Financial Planner. A lifelong nature
lover, Barry chairs the Finance Committee.
Judy Nelsen, Secretary, is a retired professor and Indiana Master Naturalist. Judy chairs the Fundraising Committee
and serves on the Executive and Finance Committees.
Dwight Ericsson, retired Director of the Merillat Centre for the Arts at Huntington University, is active with
Historic Forks of the Wabash in Huntington and is a past member and current alternate on the Wabash River Heritage
Corridor Commission. At LRWP Dwight serves on the Fundraising Committee.
John Schutt is Professor of Biology and Environmental Science at Taylor University in Fort Wayne. John chairs the
Land Use and Research Committee and serves on the Eagle Marsh Restoration Committee.
Tim Skiver is a Fort Wayne firefighter and Wetlands Specialist at Earth Source, Inc. in Fort Wayne. Tim chairs the
Eagle Marsh Restoration Committee and is active on the Land Acquisition Committee.
Karen Surguine is retired from Delaware Investments/Lincoln National Corp. where she was a Vice President of
commercial mortgages and real estate lending. She currently works part-time as a commercial mortgage banker and is
an Indiana Master Naturalist. Karen serves on the Fundraising Committee.
Dani Tippmann is a Miami Native American knowledgeable about traditional uses of native plants and other aspects of
Miami culture and history. She has served on the Miami Nation of Indiana Council and makes presentations on Miami
life throughout Indiana. At LRWP, Dani is active on the Education Committee.
Mark Werling is an attorney employed by Baker & Daniels, LLP. Mark serves on the Finance Committee and assists
LRWP with legal matters when needed.
Dennis White is Property Manager, Salamonie Reservoir. Dennis chairs the Land Acquisition Committee and serves
on the Fundraising and Land Use and Research Committees.
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LRWP’s General Advisory Board consists of business and community leaders who have agreed to be available to our
regular board and staff for advice in such areas as financial management, strategic planning, landowner relations,
history of the Little River valley, and community outreach. GAB members include:
James Barrett, Senior Partner (Retired), Barrett and McNagny, Huntertown
John Brooks, Executive Vice President, Brooks Construction Company, Fort Wayne
Tom Castaldi, Allen County Historian and Vice President of Communications (Retired), Essex Group, Fort Wayne
Michelle Gray, Vice President, Director of Marketing, Tower Bank, Fort Wayne
Ron James, Executive Director, Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission, Lafayette
Jay O. Jorgensen, President, J & J Properties, Fort Wayne
Mark A. King, M.D., Brooklyn Medical Associates, Fort Wayne
Kevin Knight, President, Knight Mechanical Testing, Fort Wayne
David B. Lupke, President, Lupke Rice Insurance and Financial Services, Fort Wayne
Pamela Martin-Diaz, Member-at-Large, Fort Wayne Community Schools, and Branch Manager, Allen County Public
Library-Shawnee Branch, Fort Wayne
Rick Oliphant, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Pizza Hut, Fort Wayne
Maria Parra, Board Member, Wayne Township, and Parra Company, Fort Wayne
Ian Rolland, Chief Executive Officer (Retired), Lincoln National Corporation, Fort Wayne
Angela Shannon, Associate Pastor, Trinity English Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne
John Shoaff, City Councilman At-Large and Architect, Fort Wayne
Chris Stauffer, Owner, Chris Stauffer Homes, Fort Wayne
Robert Ternet, Owner, Ternet Farms, New Haven
We are very grateful that these knowledgeable friends have agreed to help us. A Science Advisory Board will be
formed in the fall to advise us on our preserves and wildlife.
regular board and staff for advice in such areas as financial management, strategic planning, landowner relations,
history of the Little River valley, and community outreach. GAB members include:
James Barrett, Senior Partner (Retired), Barrett and McNagny, Huntertown
John Brooks, Executive Vice President, Brooks Construction Company, Fort Wayne
Tom Castaldi, Allen County Historian and Vice President of Communications (Retired), Essex Group, Fort Wayne
Michelle Gray, Vice President, Director of Marketing, Tower Bank, Fort Wayne
Ron James, Executive Director, Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission, Lafayette
Jay O. Jorgensen, President, J & J Properties, Fort Wayne
Mark A. King, M.D., Brooklyn Medical Associates, Fort Wayne
Kevin Knight, President, Knight Mechanical Testing, Fort Wayne
David B. Lupke, President, Lupke Rice Insurance and Financial Services, Fort Wayne
Pamela Martin-Diaz, Member-at-Large, Fort Wayne Community Schools, and Branch Manager, Allen County Public
Library-Shawnee Branch, Fort Wayne
Rick Oliphant, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Pizza Hut, Fort Wayne
Maria Parra, Board Member, Wayne Township, and Parra Company, Fort Wayne
Ian Rolland, Chief Executive Officer (Retired), Lincoln National Corporation, Fort Wayne
Angela Shannon, Associate Pastor, Trinity English Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne
John Shoaff, City Councilman At-Large and Architect, Fort Wayne
Chris Stauffer, Owner, Chris Stauffer Homes, Fort Wayne
Robert Ternet, Owner, Ternet Farms, New Haven
We are very grateful that these knowledgeable friends have agreed to help us. A Science Advisory Board will be
formed in the fall to advise us on our preserves and wildlife.
General Advisory Board
| Boards and Staff Members |
Staff:
Betsy Yankowiak, Executive Director, is an IPFW graduate in Environmental Geology, experienced naturalist, former
co-property manager of the Fort Wayne Chapter of the Izaak Walton League, and committed to local environmental
issues.
Nancy Bradtmiller, Community Relations Coordinator, is a trained naturalist and co-founder of Trees Indiana in Fort
Wayne. A graduate of DePauw University, Nancy has experience as a Montessori teacher as well as an extensive
nature background.
Heather Hoover, Work Study Student, is an avid bicyclist who is studying Interior Design and Art & Architecture at
IPFW.
Leslie Hamilton, Intern, Environmental Science major at University of Saint Francis studying salamanders.
Betsy Yankowiak, Executive Director, is an IPFW graduate in Environmental Geology, experienced naturalist, former
co-property manager of the Fort Wayne Chapter of the Izaak Walton League, and committed to local environmental
issues.
Nancy Bradtmiller, Community Relations Coordinator, is a trained naturalist and co-founder of Trees Indiana in Fort
Wayne. A graduate of DePauw University, Nancy has experience as a Montessori teacher as well as an extensive
nature background.
Heather Hoover, Work Study Student, is an avid bicyclist who is studying Interior Design and Art & Architecture at
IPFW.
Leslie Hamilton, Intern, Environmental Science major at University of Saint Francis studying salamanders.