Chesapeake Conservancy Welcomes Five New Board Members

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Annapolis, MD – Chesapeake Conservancy today announced that Douglas Wheeler has been appointed chairman of the board of directors. The board also elected five new members. Wheeler previously served as the board’s vice chairman and is a partner in the environmental practice of Hogan Lovells US, LLP in Washington, DC. He takes the place of former chairman, Paul Hagen, who will continue to serve on the board. The five new board members are Holly Evans, Barbara Jackson, Ed McMahon, John Neely and Richard Scobey, with Dr. Mamie Parker, Page Hayhurst and Ann Loomis rotating off of the board.

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“The entire board and I are truly grateful for the leadership and dedication Paul has shown while serving as chair,” Wheeler said. “With Paul at the helm, the Chesapeake Conservancy underwent tremendous growth and really became known for using cutting edge technology to advance conservation and public access along the great rivers of the Chesapeake and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.

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Chesapeake Conservancy’s accomplishments during Hagen’s term as chairman include advocacy for the establishment of the Harriet Tubman Underground Rail Road National Historical Park; leadership of the Rivers of the Chesapeake collaborative, which was awarded $11 million for conservation in the Chesapeake and $2 million for public access in the federal budget; and helping to advance the effort to designate Mallows Bay – Potomac River as a National Marine Sanctuary.

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“We are delighted to welcome these five new members to the board. Each brings a vast wealth of knowledge to the table and will be fantastic assets for us,” Joel Dunn, Chesapeake Conservancy president and CEO, said. “I am personally grateful for the dedication and support Dr. Parker, Page Hayhurst and Ann Loomis provided while on the board. They will truly be missed on the board but we look forward to their continued engagement in our work. I look forward to working with new Board Chair Douglas Wheeler, whose experience and leadership will help guide the Chesapeake Conservancy during this continued time of growth for the organization.”

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“We thank Ann, Mamie, and Page for everything they contributed during their time on the board,” Wheeler said. “It has been a pleasure to work with such passionate and enthusiastic people.”

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Holly Evans is a senior attorney for the Microsoft Corporation where she is responsible for all environmental, energy, and sustainability issues that impact Microsoft’s hardware and software business lines, including energy efficiency, restricted substances, recycling and recovery, as well as ecolabels and responsible supply chain sourcing.

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Barbara Jackson is the senior vice president of Commercial Banking at BB&T and is very engaged in the local community, possessing the relationships and affiliations to help the Conservancy reach local and regional supporters. She formed the BB&T Women's Networking Group, which includes many high-profile successful business women in the Annapolis community and is passionate about fundraising for the organizations that she has served on their board. Jackson has served as a board member for American Heart Association, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Annapolis Rotary Club and currently serves on the board of directors of the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts.

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Ed McMahon is senior resident fellow for the Urban Land Institute. Before joining the Institute in 2004, McMahon was the vice president and director of land use planning for The Conservation Fund. During that time he helped protect more than 5 million acres of land of historic or natural significance. He is also the co-founder and former president of Scenic America, taught law and public policy at Georgetown University Law Center and served in the U.S. Army, both at home and abroad.

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John Neely is the president and owner of Neely Financial Services in Annapolis and has been engaged in the sale of insurance since 1980. He is also an investment adviser representative with Eagle Strategies. Neely has been a noted industry speaker and served as president of his state trade association, the Maryland State Association of Insurance and Financial Professionals.  Neely serves as a commissioner on the Maryland Governor's Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission.

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Richard Scobey is a deputy director general for the World Bank. Previously, he was the director for regional integration in the Africa Region of the World Bank in 2009-10 and has worked at the World Bank for 29 years in a variety of managerial positions covering agriculture, environment and operational services. Prior to joining the World Bank, Scobey worked for an investment bank in Africa, and was a fellow at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Sweden.

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Dr. Mamie Parker, Page Hayhurst, and Ann Loomis have recently rotated off the board. Hayhurst and Loomis both served the board’s Nominating and Governance Committee. Dr. Parker served as the board’s secretary and was the driving force behind The Mamie Parker Journey: Inspiring Youth to Embrace the Chesapeake. Through this 12-school series presented by the Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dr. Parker engaged students in Baltimore City in conservation of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to encourage the next generation of conservationists.