by Douglas Miller

On May 13, at our final meeting for the fiscal year, the CAS Board of Directors accepted a slate of nominees for the elected positions that will become vacant on June 1. The nominating committee, led by Nancy Bedan with the assistance of Jan Mees and Lori Hagglund, recommended the following candidates:

The board is pleased to have this group of well-qualified candidates willing to serve our chapter for the coming years. However, we realize that the disruption of our meeting schedule this spring has limited our members’ opportunity to meet the potential candidates and to nominate others.

This message serves as a notice of the upcoming election, and a last opportunity for interested members to suggest alternative candidates. If you have any input for the board as we prepare for this vote, please respond by May 22, 2020 to either support@columbia-audubon.org, or by mail to Membership chair Douglas Miller at 311 Ridgeway, Columbia, MO 65203. Please be sure nominees you suggest are members of Columbia Audubon and willing to serve if elected. To find out more about the slate of candidates, see below.

The final official ballot will be sent to members by May 25. We expect to be able to set a deadline of June 1 for votes submitted by e-mail, or a postmark date of June 1 for mailed ballots.

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Proposed Slate of Officers and Directors for 2020-22

PRESIDENT:  JIM GAST     

• Originally from: St. Louis
• Years in Columbia: 37
• Career info: Retired in 2016 after 24 years with Missouri State Parks at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park including 12 years as superintendent.
• Family/pets: Donna Brunet, wife. No kids or pets.
• Years in CAS: approximately 30
• Board experience (if applicable) Board member in mid-1990s, The Chat editor (twice), Trailside Museum worker, field trip leader, CoMoGives fundraising committee, maintained email list for distribution of communications and The Chat, Christmas Bird Count compiler, North American Migratory Count compiler for both Columbia Audubon and Missouri and volunteer for second graders at CANS.
• Favorite bird/Favorite birding spot: Sanderling / Lucas County, Ohio (Maumee Bay State Park and Magee Marsh)
• What is one thing people might not know about you? I’ve ridden my bicycle over 6700 miles since I retired.

VICE PRESIDENT:  NANCY BEDAN

• Originally from: Rural Pike County, Mo., where I grew up on the family farm
• Years in Columbia: 22, plus five years as an MU student
• Career info: Worked for 30 years in communication and strategic planning before retiring in 2002; held positions in the Kirkwood School District, and the Missouri Departments of Natural Resources and Elementary & Secondary Education.
• Family/pets: Married to David Bedan with a daughter and family in Chesterfield, and a son and family in Littleton, CO. I’m a cat lover, who’s currently “catless.”
• Years in CAS: 22, plus 15 years as a member of River Bluffs Audubon in Jefferson City before moving to Columbia
• Board experience (if applicable): A member of the CAS board of directors since 2016, serving as secretary since 2018. Chair of the CAS CoMoGives Committee 2017-2019.
• Favorite bird/Favorite birding spot: Favorite bird is the Brown Creeper. Favorite birding spots are Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary and 3M Wetlands.
• What is one thing people might not know about you? I like spring wildflowers almost as much as I like spring warblers (the plants don’t move around as much).

SECRETARY: DOUG MILLER

• Originally from: Salem, Oregon
• Years in Columbia: 12
• Career info: Graphic designer
• Family/pets: One Allison Vaughn, one dog, and one frog.
• Years in CAS: 11
• Board experience (if applicable): CAS Membership chair since 2011, CoMoGives Committee 2015–2019, CAS webmaster 2009-2020
• Favorite bird/Favorite birding spot: Office window/back yard
• What is one thing people might not know about you? Suddenly became better at tongue-twisters after age 50.

TREASURER:  ERIC SEAMAN

• Originally from: Jefferson City
• Years in Columbia: 19
• Career info: Current wastewater division director for Jefferson City. Prior engineering consultant and DNR employee.
• Family/pets: Denice Adkins (wife)
• Years in CAS: 17
• Board experience (if applicable): Treasurer since 2007
• Favorite bird/Favorite birding spot: Wood Thrush/It’s hard to pick one, but Rudolf Bennitt, Three Creeks, and Whetstone CAs are awesome!
• What is one thing people might not know about you? People were asking me to wear a mask prior to the pandemic.

BOARD MEMBER: ERIC WOOD (3 YEAR TERM)

• Originally from: Eugene Oregon
• Years in Columbia: 56 yrs
• Career info: Cook, Landscaper, House Painter, Cook
• Family/pets: Between my mother, me and my sister we have 8 cats.
• Years in CAS: 12
• Board experience (if applicable) CAS only – field trip chair, board member at large, 2^nd grade field trip volunteer
• Favorite bird/Favorite birding spot: Black Hills SD