Congaree Land Trust announces new Board President, eight new board members

Congaree Land Trust (CLT) announced the appointment of Alec Chaplin, Jr. as Board President, Tripp Bradley as Board Vice President, and the election of eight new members to the CLT Board of Directors in its twenty-seventh year of protecting the natural heritage of central South Carolina.

“We are pleased to welcome this dynamic group of new Board members,” said Stuart White, CLT’s Executive Director. “These individuals bring a wealth of experience and expertise in their fields and will be tremendous assets to CLT as we further our mission to permanently protect the unique landscapes and waterways that are important to the communities of central South Carolina.”

Chaplin is Owner at Chaplin Company, a family-owned commercial real estate firm, and Bradley is Vice President with Colliers International, South Carolina. They will serve a two-year term as CLT’s Board President and Vice President. New Board members include: Russell Bauknight, founder of Bauknight Pietras & Stormer, Robert Bunch, Professional Wetlands Scientist and founder of Palmetto Environmental Consulting, Inc., Trip Chavis, CEO of Milliken Forestry Co., Chris Kirk, Owner of Kirk Commercial Construction, Art Laney, principal owner of The Laney Agency, Inc., Thomas S. Laney, President of Johnson Company, Inc., Kimberlee Neel, interior designer and riding member of The Camden Hunt, and H. Dallon Weathers, Owner of Dallon H. Weathers Investment Services.

One of the founders of Bauknight Pietras & Stormer, Russell Bauknight traded a career with a Big Four accounting firm for the opportunity to become an entrepreneurial CPA with two partners and an assistant. Twenty-six years, nine shareholders and 60-plus employees later, Russell admits he never looked back once taking the leap to form BPS. Prior to BPS, Russell was a senior tax manager with Ernst & Young after beginning his career with Washington, DC-based Bond Beebe. With nearly four decades of public accounting experience, he is in high demand among family-owned businesses and wealthy individuals, concentrating his efforts consulting on general business and continuity issues, estate and financial plans, as well as plans for major charitable gifts.

Robert Bunch has worked as an environmental consultant for the past 19 years in the Midlands of South Carolina. As a Professional Wetland Scientist, Robert’s expertise is with natural resource-related services including wetland assessments and mitigation, endangered species assessments, and permitting. He and his business partner, Chris Lake, founded Palmetto Environmental Consulting, Inc. in 2007. They work for a variety of clients, such as private property owners, utility companies, residential and commercial developers, and school districts. Robert has worked on some properties currently under easement with CLT. He also volunteers to help with the annual monitoring of CLT’s properties.

Trip Chavis started his career with Milliken Forestry Co. in 1994 as a field forester, eventually organizing in 2014 with five other colleagues to purchase the company. Mr. Chavis is currently the Chief Executive Officer. He has extensive experience in GIS integration, large scale timber inventory design and project management. Mr. Chavis is a member of the Association of Consulting Foresters, The South Carolina Forestry Association and the Executives Association of Greater Columbia and is a Director for SC Chapter of Association of Consulting Foresters. Mr. Chavis earned a B.S. in Forest Resource Management from Clemson University in 1994. He is an Elder of Lake Murray Presbyterian Church.

Chris Kirk is a native of Columbia, SC and grew up in Forest Acres where he attended AC Flora High School. He received a BS degree in Construction Science and Management from Clemson University in 1998 and a JD from the University Of South Carolina School Of Law in 2003. He has been involved in the construction industry in some fashion since he was a teenager and is currently the owner of Kirk Commercial Construction. He currently resides in Hopkins on a portion of his wife’s family farm with his wife, Ariail Burnside Kirk, and their two sons, Durham and Christopher.

Arthur (Art) Laney was born and raised in Columbia, SC. He attended Spring Valley High School prior to attending Wofford College where he obtained a BA in Business Economics. He currently lives in Lexington and is the principal owner of The Laney Agency, Inc., a full service insurance agency. Art is an avid sportsmen that enjoys hunting and growing trees on his family’s property in Fairfield County, and has a passion for protecting our natural resources for both present and future generations.

Thomas S Laney (no relation to Art Laney) was born in Kershaw County, S.C. At an early age, his family sold their farm near Boykin, S.C. and moved to Sumter County, S.C. He graduated from Hillcrest High School in Dalzell, S.C. and Lake City Forestry School in Lake City, Florida. He worked for a Forestry Consulting Company before joining the Marine Corp. He went to work for Johnson Company, Inc. in early 1968. In 1976 he became Vice-President and then, President in 1980. Tommy is a member and a trustee of Dalzell United Methodist Church, a member of the Sumter County Forest Land Owners Association. He is a member of the Sumter County Soil and Water Board.

Kimberlee Neel has a diverse professional background to include experience in human resource management under Governor Carroll Campbell, health insurance benefits management with Duke, high-end furniture manufacturing with M. Craig & Company, interior design and project management with The Dianne Joyce Design Company and non-profit charitable work with several different organizations. She is currently self-employed in project management and design as a sole proprietor under Kimberlee M. Neel, LLC. An avid equestrian and fox hunter, Kimberlee has been a riding member and active supporter of The Tryon Hounds and The Camden Hunt for over 30 years. Additionally, as a lady angler she has competed in multiple fishing tournaments to include The Governor’s Cup and others internationally.

Dallon Weathers is an Orangeburg native who grew up in South Carolina and Georgia. A graduate from the University of South Carolina, Dallon spent his professional career in banking and real estate, as well as teaching at Heathwood Hall, before retiring. Dallon has served on the Boards of The Columbia City Ballet, Ducks Unlimited, Advisory for USC’s School of Public Health and School of Arts and Letters, The Nature Conservancy and New Morning Foundation. While serving six years, three as Chairman, with the Nature Conservancy, he gained knowledge and appreciation for the means of land conservation. Dallon and his wife, Carey, are the proud parents of four wonderful children and eight growing and energetic grandchildren. Dallon learned to love and respect the land from his grandfather and hopes that in some way has passed this to the next generations.

“We’d also like to recognize Christian Hendricks for his service as CLT Board President,” said White, “and Lamar Comalander, Helen Laffitte, David Stack and Stacey Stokes, who concluded their dedicated three year terms of service on our board and helped CLT reach 77.6 K total conserved acres across central South Carolina.”

Congaree Land Trust Board