Conservancy of Southwest Florida elects board members at its annual meeting

NAPLES, Fla. - Jan. 24, 2025 - PRLog -- The Conservancy of Southwest Florida members elected one new director and re-elected four board members for four-year terms at the organization's Annual Membership Meeting on Jan. 15.

William "Bill" Byrnes was elected to his first four-year term on the board and will also serve as a member of the development committee. Byrnes and his wife have been supporters of the Conservancy for many years, and he has served on the board's finance committee. Byrnes, who has been on business boards and is a retired investment banker, received an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University as well as a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Byrnes has an MBA from the University of Michigan and has written two mystery/thriller novels.

Current board members Nancy Anthony, Thomas "Tom" Watkins, Leslie Frécon and John R. Walter were re-elected for additional four-year terms. Also at the meeting, the Conservancy announced a historic $25 million grant from the John & Carol Walter Family Foundation, the largest philanthropic commitment in the organization's history. The grant will transform the current Nature Center into the new John & Carol Walter Nature Experience.

"Members of our board of directors help us serve our community by protecting our land, water and wildlife and securing a better future for ourselves and future generations," said Rob Moher, president and CEO of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. "We are grateful that these volunteers with various areas of expertise are willing to roll up their sleeves to provide leadership, financial oversight and help set strategic plans for our organization."

About the Conservancy of Southwest Florida
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida (http://www.conservancy.org/) is a non-profit environmental protection organization with a 60-year history focused on the issues impacting the water, land, wildlife, and future of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties. The Conservancy accomplishes this mission through the combined efforts of its experts in environmental science, policy, education, and wildlife rehabilitation. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, world-class Nature Center, (https://conservancy.org/naturecenter/) and von Arx Wildlife Hospital (http://www.conservancy.org/von-Arx-Wildlife-Hospital) are headquartered in Naples, Florida at 1495 Smith Preserve Way. (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Smith+Preserve+Way/@26.166139,-81.7899354,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x88dae1edf6906625:0xaff332d727c8252d) Learn more about the Conservancy's work and how to support (http://www.conservancy.org/support-us) the quality of life in Southwest Florida at Conservancy.org.