Gilbert (Gil) Nicolson, Chairperson

Clay County

Clay County resident, Gil Nicolson, was the first staff person HRWC ever had!  After working for four years, he and his wife, Amy, went abroad with Habitat for Humanity. Upon Gil’s return in 2003 he was appointed to the Board and has served as Chairperson since the beginning of 2004.  Gil and Amy, have five children and one grandchild. Gil enjoys contra dancing and hiking. A retired consulting engineer, Gil now volunteers as a carpenter/house builder. Gil shares that he wants help make "our part of the world" sustainable. "I believe that being a caretaker of our environment is an important legacy to pass on to the next generations."

Email: Gil Nicolson

Anne Mitchell, Vice-Chairperson

At-Large

Anne Mitchell was appointed to the the HRWC Board of Directors in September 2007. Anne has been a supportive, active member of the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition for many years. In fact, she helped prepare and print the first HRWC newsletter in 1997! And, she has been a part of the Lake Chatuge Ani'ama' team (volunteer monitoring) since it began in 2002! Anne has been a Towns County resident for more than 20 years and generations of her family have lived here before her. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is a retired family counselor. Anne served on the Towns County school board for 11 years. Currently she is an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd and the League of Women Voters. Anne says she is happy to serve. "I believe protecting our water resources through education and action is essential." Anne has three children and six grandchildren.

Email: Anne Mitchell

Andy Blankenship, Secretary

Clay SWCD

Andy Blankenship is a founding member of HRWC.  He has lived in Clay County his whole life, as have generations of his family before him. He has served as Secretary since 1990.  Andy and his wife Dianne have two children.  Andy works full time as a realtor and self-employed seeding contractor. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting and fishing; he is also a member of the Elk Foundation.  Andy would like to see all counties in NC to have effective local sediment/erosion control ordinances.  He hopes HRWC can help local governments accomplish this task.

Brenda Hull, Treasurer

At-Large

Brenda Hull has been a HRWC Board member since 2003.  Brenda lives in Clay County, but works full time as a Biology/Ecology Professor at Young Harris College in Towns County.  Brenda's primary professional interests lie in the field of ecology, ethology and ornithology.  She enjoys traveling, photography and gardening in her spare time.

Email: Brenda Hull

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Silas Allen

Cherokee County

Silas Allen and his wife Bobbie live in Cherokee County where Silas has lived his whole life. The land he lives on has been owned by his family for more than four generations.  Silas has been serving on the HRWC Board since shortly after HRWC's incorporation.  He is also a member of the NC Homebuilders Association, the NC Codes Enforcement Association and the NC Association of Floodplain Managers.  Silas works full time as a Cherokee County Building Inspector and Watershed & Floodplain Administrator. In his spare time, he likes to golf, fish, play tennis and work with his horses.  When asked what he would like people to know about himself, Silas said, " I care about water quality deeply.  It saddens me... to see the streams and lakes fill up with silt."

Email: Silas Allen

Tom Bennett

At-Large

Tom Bennett is a retired newspaperman of 30 years, 23 of which were spent working for “The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.”  Prior to his newspaper career, Tom served as assistant public relations director for the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons and managing editor of the Creative Services Division of National Football League Properties, Los Angeles.  Tom has a degree in Government from Florida State University and dedicated most of his working life to promoting open government and freedom of information.  He received the first Open Government Hero award of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation in 2003.  In 2005, he and his wife Lorraine Martin Bennett, also a retired journalist, built a home in the Martins Creek community near Murphy, N.C., where she grew up.  Since taking up full time residency in Cherokee County, Tom has been the volunteer writer of the “WATR Column” on this website of the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition.  Tom has served on the boards of various nonprofits throughout his career and desires to use this experience to help “increase understanding of environmental issues” in this area.  A personal philosophy of Tom’s is: “The way to make something succeed and grow is to start it and work hard at it.”

Email: Tom Bennett

John Bowen

At-Large

Email: John Bowen

Eddie Bradley

Towns County

Eddie Bradley is a cattle farmer working on land in Towns County that has been an active working farm in his family since land grants in the 1830s.  With concern about the rapid increase in development and population growth, Eddie joined the HRWC Board of Directors in 2003.  When asked to share two things he has learned since becoming a HRWC Board member, Eddie responded, "1-Concerned citizens working together can make a difference. 2-Education of more citizens is the best way to insure preservation of our natural resources." Eddie hopes to play a "part in preserving some quality of life in this area for [his] children."  He and his wife Quilla have two children.  Eddie enjoys hunting, fishing and Civil War history.

Jim Carringer

Cherokee SWCD

Generations of Jim Carringer's family have lived in Cherokee County before him. He, too, was born, raised and has lived in Cherokee County for most of his life. In 2004, Jim joined the HRWC Board. He and his wife, Janice, have three children and seven grandchildren. Jim is a retired Favin Credit Employee and worked for Wachovia Bank for eight years.  He now woks part time for Moore Insurance Services in Clay County.  In his spare time, he enjoys golfing and farming.  He has been a Rotarian for over 20 years and a part of the Lions club for more than 10 years. He is also a member of the Ferebee Foundation and the Truett Baptist Association.

Email: Jim Carringer

Harold Coleman

At-Large

Harold Coleman is retired from the North Carolina Forest Service after a dedicated career as the Cherokee County Ranger.  He was born and raised in Cherokee County and generations before him have lived here.  Harold is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee and is active with his church, a Mason, and is currently serving as President of the Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department board.  Harold is an avid fisherman and grouse hunter and says he agreed to serve on the HRWC Board of Directors because of his “love for clean water and pristine countryside”.  He is especially concerned about soil erosion and stream sedimentation.  Harold and his wife Jean have three children and five grandchildren.

Jim Dobson

Union/Blue Ridge SWCD

Union County resident for more than twenty-five years, Jim Dobson served as Vice-Chairperson of the HRWC Board from 1995 to 2004 and as as interim vice-chairperson in 2007. Jim is involved with many other community organizations: Kiwanis, Masons, Shiners, Union County Chamber of Commerce serving two terms as Interim Director, Union/Blue Ridge SWCD (of which he serves as Chairperson) and RC&D.  Jim is retired from agriculture research and administration; he served as Superintendent of the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center for much of his career. Jim spends most of his free time being of service to others. He has been given many awards for his participation in various community projects.  Jim desires to "make [his] retired years productive."  He believes that "an organization with a plan and technical service can do much to reduce erosion and pollution and improve water quality."  He feels strongly that "education is the most vital force in protecting the environment."

Robert Head

Union County

Robert Head was recently appointed to the HRWC Board.

Email: Robert Head

Ben Kennedy

Towns/Blue Ridge SWCD

Email: Ben Kennedy