Board of Directors Rex Dobson (Chairman) Rex Dobson is the son of Harvey and Ruby Ellen (Core) Dobson. He was born in Muskegon, Michigan, and came to live at the Ruby Ellen Farm in 1927. Rex went to grade school at the Bingham School, which was about one mile from his house. He would walk, ride his bike, or ski to school every day. After he graduated from Traverse City High School, Rex worked in construction for a while, but knew he wanted to return to farming. To this day, he continues his work on the farm. Rex is in the hay business during June, cherries in July, and rye, wheat, and oats in August. By the end of October, the feed corn should be in, if the weather permits. Rex enjoys sharing his place, and loves to tell stories about growing up on the farm. He is the visionary behind, and the founder of, The Rex Dobson Ruby Ellen Farm Foundation. Peggy Core (Secretary) Peggy Core is a multimedia artist by vocation, but wears many hats. She is a fourth generation Leelanau County resident and lives on land homesteaded by her paternal ancestors in the mid 1800's. Peggy helped develop and grow two successful local businesses, and recently 'retired' from a third. Presently she is Director of the Friendship Community Center in Suttons Bay, frequently works at other area businesses, and provides various contract services from her home office. Peggy's art is in private collections throughout Michigan and the United States, as well as Canada, Brazil, England, France, Japan, Switzerland, and Australia. She is a member/secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Leelanau Historical Society/Museum, working on several committees as well. Peggy serves on the Traverse Area Arts Council mini-grant review panel, travels when possible, and in her spare time, she kayaks, gardens, reads ..... and sleeps. Don Kiessel (Vice President) Don Kiessel was born and raised on a farm in Bingham Township. After graduating from Suttons Bay High School, he attended Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. Don has been involved with cherry farming most of his life, and is co-owner of Kiessel Farms. After working many years as a lineman for Consumers Power, Don recently accepted a position as a field leader for that company. He is a member of the planning commission and board of Appeals for Bingham Township, and served the community as a member of the Suttons Bay-Bingham Fire and Rescue Squad for twenty-five years. Don and his wife Jan have three children and six grandchildren. Ed Kiessel (Treasurer) Ed Kiessel grew up in Bingham Township. He is a licensed Certified Management Accountant, and Certified Public Accountant, licensed in the State of Illinois. Ed has extensive experience in the financial arena, including work with investment management and international financial systems. He currently holds a leadership position with a local manufacturing company, which requires extensive travel. Ed lives in Traverse City, but continues to be active in the farming community, owning a small cherry farm in Bingham Township. Nancy L. Kotting (Historic Preservation Counsel) Born and raised in Rochester, Michigan, Nancy Kotting settled in Leelanau County in 1998. Upon graduating from Western Michigan University, she spent four years trading and marketing fixed income securities. In 1988, Nancy left the securities industry and began a nine-year career in alternative newspaper publishing. While living in the City of Detroit, Nancy completed a graduate degree in Historic Preservation from Eastern Michigan University. She spent several years volunteering her expertise and working intimately with local, state, and national preservation organizations in efforts to develop a more effective preservation movement in the city of Detroit. An avid equestrian since 1968, Nancy now owns and operates her own business, Evenkeel Dressage, through which she teaches and trains the timeless art of classical horsemanship. Adam Lett (Legal Counsel) Born in Oak Park, Michigan, Adam Lett graduated from both Michigan State University and DePaul University College of Law, with honors. After living in Chicago, he moved to Traverse City to continue practicing law. He is currently with the firm Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge. Adam practices in the areas of estate planning, probate and tax, and also advises farmers, land owners, and conservation organizations about planning opportunities available through the use of conservation easements, sale of development rights, and related concepts. He spends his free time enjoying the outdoors with his wife and daughter. Rick Wilson (President) Rick Wilson is the Regional Farmland Protection Specialist for the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC). Rick's primary work focus is expanding the tremendously successful public-private partnership for farmland preservation established by the GTRLC and branches of the state and local government. Prior to working with GTRLC, Rick was with the Leelanau Conservancy and the Little Traverse Conservancy. He holds a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture and Planning, and a B.S. degree in Geology, and has worked in the land conservation profession for thirteen years. He is a fourth generation Leelanau County 'summer person' and worked in the cherry orchards during all his high school and college years. Advisory Board Mark Livengood Mark Livengood holds a Ph.D. in Folklore from UCLA. Since moving to Leelanau County in 1998, he has worked to interpret and safeguard the Peninsula's cultural heritage. He was Director of the Leelanau Historical Museum for four years, and has been a project consultant for the Eastern Michigan University Historic Preservation Program in northern Michigan. Currently, in addition to his work with the Rex Dobson Ruby Ellen Farm Foundation, he is collaborating with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to develop a cultural landscape interpretive model for the Port Oneida Rural Historic District. In his spare time, Mark enjoys kayaking, snowshoeing, and trail running on the beaches and dunes of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Rick Shugart Bio coming soon! |
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