Chapter board elections are coming up for the 2015-2016 election term. Members will be receiving ballot cards in the mail over the next few weeks. If you are a member, please cast your vote and share your volunteer hours with us.
You may also vote online by e-mailing your votes to gro.fcattap@liam. Voting is for members only, please.
Here’s more information about our candidates:
Vice President Candidate 2015-2016
Clark Beebe
Clark Beebe got involved with PA-TACF because his father was interested in the American chestnut. Clark joined TACF in 1996. He still owns his family farm in Bradford County, PA but lives in New Jersey where, through the efforts of Bob Summersgill, Clark became a regular at plantings, inoculations and pollinations. Last year Clark accepted a position on the chapter board as New Jersey Representative. In that capacity he arranged for the Regional Science Coordinator, Sara Fitzsimmons, to be a key-note speaker at this year’s NJ Forestry Association Annual Meeting. He wrote an article on the American chestnut for the NJ Herald newspaper and assisted in the recent restoration generation planting at Lord Stirling County Park in Somerset County NJ (see page 6 for more information on the planting). He has joined Mike and Kieu Manes on multiple chestnut education hikes.
Clark is a PA Forest Steward and a NJ Woodland Steward. He serves on the Member Advisory Committee of his local electrical co-op. He is active in the lake association where he lives and just successfully concluded an 18 month effort to get the association to hire a consulting forester.
Returning Board Member 2015-2016
Kenneth Allshouse
Ken Allshouse, is the owner of Wexford Timberland, in northern Indiana county, where he established an American Chestnut orchard in 2006. He has nurtured several native American Chestnuts at his home in North Park area of Pittsburgh for many years.
Ken received a Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University in Forest Science and completed graduate course work Forest Products. He also completed a Bachelor of Science degree from Robert Morris College in Accounting and the CFP program at the College of Financial Planning rounding out a diverse academic background. He is a Certified Financial Planner and Registered Investment Advisor for Paragon Financial Advisors, an active member of the Financial Planning Association of Greater Pittsburgh, where he has served on the board of directors and held the position of Education Chair. He also belongs to the McCandless Rotary Club. Volunteering with North Hills YMCA as a board member, and Friends of North Park community group; He is also a past board president of North Hills Community Outreach.
Ken has been a life long hunter and fisherman, chasing bugling Elk with bow and arrow is his latest passion. He competes locally in the Pittsburgh Marathon (PR 3:31), numerous Triathlons (Swim-Bike-Run) and Adventure Racing. He enjoys gardening around the home for quiet relaxation.
Returning Board Member 2015-2016
Jim Walizer
Jim is an active member of the PA Forest Stewards, a group of volunteer foresters affiliated with Penn State University. He was honored as the Volunteer of the Year at the Centre County Council’s 32nd Human Services Dinner. He was the Pennsylvania Tree Farmer of the Year in 2001, Northeast Regional Tree Farmer and Mid-Atlantic Master Farmer both in 2006.
He is a board member of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, a current Board member of the PA Tree Farm Committee and the Woodland Owners of Centre County. Jim is a PA-TACF chestnut orchard grower with over 1500 chestnut trees planted on his farms including numerous forest plantings. Jim, and his wife Libby, host many chestnut conservation tours at their home and Jim developed a new type of tree protection tube to be used with new tree seedlings. Jim lives in Walker Township near Bellefonte, Centre County and has been a member of TACF since 1997.
Returning Board Member 2013-2014
Susan Smith
Susan Smith has been living and working at Longacre Farm in Perry County for almost 40 years. She co-directs a residential program there for students ages 8-12 each summer. Longacre (longacre.com) builds a community with students and adult staff, who learn many different aspects of rural life. The farm’s 140 tree American chestnut orchard was first planted in 2002 and provides teaching opportunities for students who help take care of the trees.
In 2010, a small restoration chestnut planting was made. Longacre follows organic farming practices which include hand weeding, fertilizing with compost tea, and mulching with organic material.
Susan is a graduate of Skidmore College and serves various non-profits as a Master Gardener and volunteer. She lives on the farm with her husband Roger.