Berkshire Natural Resources Council Announces New Board Leadership and Members
LENOX, MA - Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) is pleased to announce the appointment of F. Sydney (Syd) Smithers as the new Chair of its Board of Directors. In addition, BNRC has made key leadership updates and added two esteemed members to its Board.
Syd Smithers, a retired Berkshire County real estate attorney with over five decades of professional experience, has a long history with BNRC. Before this appointment, he served on its Board for 10 years and rejoined the Board last year. “At the end of my nine-year term I took off not one but three years and carefully considered whether, if reelected, I could still contribute meaningfully to the work of the board. I came back to the board reinvigorated and ready for new challenges,” said Smithers.
Smithers also brings extensive leadership experience from his 12 years on the board of the Trustees of Reservations, including six as Chair. Now living in Vermont with his wife, Smithers is eager to lead BNRC’s efforts to conserve and care for the Berkshires' natural beauty.
Newly appointed Vice Chair John Mancia, a dedicated BNRC Board member since 2018, will join Syd in leadership. "I joined the BNRC Board following its launch for the High Road initiative and as it readied to celebrate 50 years of land conservation and stewardship in Berkshire County. Through the years I have been most impressed with the ongoing self-examination of the BNRC mission and its inclusion of new community programs, the building of accessible trails, and development of strategic partnerships to support access to farmland. Thoughtful steps supported by professional staff and leadership," remarks Mancia.
Mancia recently retired from a distinguished career in publishing, where he spent 30 years in senior management at Elsevier, the world’s largest science and medical publisher. He and his wife Linda divide their time between West Stockbridge and Brooklyn, where they support local nonprofits as volunteers and board members.
BNRC also welcomes Karen Ross and Steve Cunningham to the Board. Karen Ross, a fifth-generation Pittsfield native and long-time BNRC volunteer, previously served a full term on the Board. Now a returning member, Ross brings her deep local knowledge and conservation experience. She holds a PhD in higher education administration and has taught high school English and computer science at Berkshire Community College. She and her husband, Jeff, have conserved their 190-acre farm in Lebanon Springs, NY, where they manage their fields for both hay and birds. “Joining the Board means I can try to make a difference in things I believe strongly in, including the value of open space preservation, public recreation opportunities, and protections for our regional forests, air, and water. BNRC’s Board is robust, energetic, and passionate about conservation work throughout Berkshire County and BNRC’s presence is part of our hope for a better future,” remarks Ross.
Steve Cunningham is a new addition to the Board with a rich background in renewable energy and agriculture. After a career expanding renewable energy businesses in developing countries, Cunningham has spent the past 15 years running a USDA-certified organic vegetable farm in New Marlborough. His produce supports and distributes local food pantries in the southern Berkshires through the help of a nonprofit partner. A former Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic, he has a long history of community service through board memberships and volunteer work. “I am thrilled to join BNRC's Board,” said Cunningham. “I strongly believe in its mission of combining preservation with public benefit. It is the very lands that BNRC oversees that makes the Berkshires such a special place. As policies and the climate continue to shift, BNRC's work will become even more important.”
“BNRC is thrilled to welcome Syd, John, Karen, and Steve to their new roles,” said BNRC President Jenny Hansell. “Each brings their own individual expertise and a deep commitment to BNRC’s mission of caring for the Berkshires’ natural spaces. Their leadership will strengthen BNRC’s ability to serve our community and conserve land for years to come.”