SierraScape September 2014 - February 2015
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CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
Executive Committee (ExCom) members meet once per month to authorize club actions and assist activities of other Eastern Missouri Group (EMG) members.
There are seven voting members on the ExCom. Four persons will be elected, each to fill a two-year term. Voting instructions are given on the ballot (see page 12).
The following are statements by candidates for the ExCom, listed in alphabetical order.
Dane Kamin
I am fairly new to the Sierra Club. My first exposure to the Sierra Club was only last year when I attended the Population & Environment activist training in Washington, DC. I am currently being considered to Chair the Population Committee within the EMG. We have already created a working group and developed some material for this topic. I have participated in the Sierra Club lobbying day in Jefferson City. I met a lot of great people at the Chesterfield Earth Day fair as well as the St. Louis Earth Day fair at the Sierra Club table. There seems to be a lot of people that are really interested in many of the Sierra Club's goals.
The EMG has a strong history of success in protecting the environment. We need to attract a diverse, energetic membership to continue to be as successful as we have in the past.
I am also associated with the environmental groups Climate Reality and Citizens' Climate Lobby. Within these groups I have learned a lot about growing membership, organizing, and public education. I believe this knowledge will be helpful when working with the Executive Committee and other Sierra Club members in achieving the EMG's goals and objectives.
I would like to help further the goals and objectives of the Sierra Club by becoming a member of the Executive Committee. The Sierra Club is the best place to work with others to improve the world around us. Environmental concerns are my primary focus in life.
Mark Ostendorf
I have been a member of the Sierra Club since 2008. I have been active as a member, assisting with the Trivia Night fundraisers, organizing EMG general meetings, and serving on the EMG ExCom. Currently, I am helping organize the 2014 Trivia Night fundraiser.
My activities and education speak to my passion for sustainability. I am currently pursuing a career in sustainability, native landscaping, or living architecture. I graduated from SIUe with a Master of Environmental Sciences in 2012. My undergraduate degree at MSSU emphasized Sustainability. I have volunteered my time at Shaw Nature Reserve, as a horticulturist, and at the 2014 Sustainability Institute for P12 Educators, as a presenter on green roofs.
I am seeking re-election as a member of the EMG Executive Committee. Please consider voting for me. Regardless of position, I seek to uphold the mission of the Sierra Club and the ideals of John Muir.
Clifford Rush
Hello, My name is Clifford Rush III. I am currently an environmental insurance underwriter for Ironshore Inc. I have a B.S. in Biology specializing in Genetics and Cellular Biology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (2011). I have a Professional Science Master's in Environmental Science Management from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville(2013). While completing my masters, I specialized in environmental policy and public administration and was a intern with the Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club located in Alton, IL. Some of my activities as an intern included bald eagle survey, river clean up, garden and nature trail construction, and site visits.
Since moving to St. Louis, I have been looking to get more involved in the Missouri's Sierra Club scene. I would like to accomplish this by being a member of the EMG Executive Committee team. Please consider me for your vote!
Paul Stupperich
I have been a member of the club since the mid 70's. Outings, Missouri Wilderness, Alaska Wilderness Issues, and the Ozark Trail are just a few of ways I have helped the Sierra Club over the last 30 years . With your support I will be a strong voice for the Ozark Trail, Wilderness, and other Public Land Issues in Missouri as we face many new challenges over the next few years.