In 2003, the Board of Directors recruited Richard Ayers to become the Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper. His experience in conservation and with local issues, combined with his extensive boating experience, makes him the ideal Shorekeeper.

Richard grew up on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, Maryland. While in school, he worked in marinas and as a commercial fisherman. He also worked as a dispatcher for the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Richard enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and spent 18 of his 22 years of service at search and rescue stations, patrolling Virginia and Maryland waters. He was the executive Petty Officer at Station Milford Haven, in Mathews County. In 1990, Richard was assigned as Officer in Charge of Station Parramore Beach on Parramore Island near Wachapreague. After six years of patrolling the waters around the Eastern Shore, he decided to make the Shore his home. With 22 years of honorable service, Richard retired on the Eastern Shore.

For the past eight year, Richard has been the Island Programs Director for The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Coast Reserve in Nassawadox. He helped develop a support network to provide researchers, supporters and local citizens access to the barrier islands.

As the Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper, Richard already knows there is work to be done. “Folks that live, work or play on the water know when something is out of place. I can take their concerns and help determine if our local waters are being threatened,” said Richard. With projects like the volunteer Creek Watchers, local landowner education, water quality monitoring and on-the-water patrols, the Shorekeeper can investigate citizen complaints and alert the proper agencies before real damage to the environment occurs.

The Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper Board of Directors represents a broad range of scientific, business and educational expertise and managerial experience. Its members have demonstrated a proven capability to provide direction to the Shorekeeper. They will engage in hands-on participation in the conduct of the project and will exercise sufficient control to insure the greatest potential for achievement of project objectives. Following is a list of the Directors and a brief summary of their backgrounds:

Dr. Garrison Mack Brown attended Adelphia University and received his DVM from Cornell University; he has practiced as a veterinarian for 35 years. A collector and restorer of antique farm equipment, he and his family are involved in several businesses, and he is particularly interested in conservation issues.

Ernest Dodson, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer, attended Virginia Tech before enrolling in the Virginia Pilot Apprenticeship Program. He is a pilot in the Virginia Pilot Association in the Port of Hampton Roads, and he is a hunter, a fisherman and a conservationist.

Eugene R. Hampton is a graduate of Oregon State University, where he received a Masters in Geology. Trained as a groundwater hydrologist, he spent his career in the U. S. Geological Survey. In retirement, he is an dedicated gardener and serves on several committees that deal with conservation issues.

John T. Ordeman, a graduate of Williams College, has graduate degrees from Columbia University and Johns Hopkins. His professional career spanned forty years as a English teacher and headmaster of several independent schools. In retirement, he is an active volunteer serving as board chairman of the Eastern Shore's Own Arts Center and Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore.

Dr. W. Michael Peirson received a BS from Delaware Valley College and a Ph.D. in marine biology from North Carolina State University. He is employed as manager of Cherrystone Aquafarms, one of the largest producers of cultured clams in the country.

John H. Price, Jr., Vice President, graduated from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) and attended the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Business School. He served as president of Pittsburgh Corning
Europe and traveled world wide on work-related projects. Since retirement he been an active volunteer with several conservation organizations.

George J. Savage, Jr., President, attended the University of Virginia and graduated from the Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy. His professional career was spent as a pharmacist in a family-owned business in Cape Charles. In retirement he is a avid outdoorsman and very interested in conservation-related public affairs.

F. Victor Schmidt is a graduate of the University of Maine. His professional career was spent with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Game and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, where he served as Deputy Director. He has been an effective volunteer involved with the creation of several conservation-oriented non-profit organizations.