CALIFORNIA RANGELAND TRUST
BOARD MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES

SCOTT STONE, Chairman, Woodland

Scott Stone is a partner in Yolo Land & Cattle Co., a diversified family farming and cattle operation in Yo lo and Solano Counties, as well as a licensed real estate broker with California Agricultural Properties, Inc., specializing in farm and ranch properties in Nor thern California. Scott is a former agricultural loan officer and licensed pest control advisor. Scott is active in the California and National Cattlemen's Associations, Yolo County Cattlemen's and Woolgrowers Association, and the California and Yolo County realtors associations. Scott holds a Bachelors Degree in Agricultural Business Management from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and is a graduate, class #28, of the California Ag Leadership Program and a member of Rancheros Visitadores.

STEVEN D. McDONALD, Immediate Past Chairman, Sanger

Steve McDonald is President of McDonald Properties, Inc. with interests in ranching, timber and real estate, and is owner of SDM Realty. He has 25 years' experience in real estate property management, transactions, and negotiations as well as over 10 years' experience working with conservation organizations on leased foothill acreage. Steve serves as a Director of Clovis Community Bank, Fresno-Kings County Cattlemen's Association.He served for 18 years as an elected director of the Kings River Water District and is a former state CCA director.Steve received his Bachelor's and MBA degrees from the University of Southern California.

Devere Dressler is a fifth-generation rancher with ranches in both California and Nevada. He is a partner on the 150-year-old Dressler Ranch where he operates a cow/calf operation. Devere is a member of the Douglas County (Nevada) Planning Commission, the Alpine County Resource Advisory Committee and a director of the Bridgeport Valley Water Users where he initiated a water quality monitoring program in the Bridgeport Valley. This on-going program aims to help prove that agriculture in the valley is good for the eco-system. Devere is also the founder and owner of the Pleasant Valley Ranch Flyfishing Preserve in the Sierra Nevada. Devere holds a degree from the University of Nevada College of Agriculture.

Dan O'Connell of Colusa, California was Colusa County Assessor since January 1, 1982 and retired on December 30, 2006. Dan brings a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and professionalism to the CRT Board. Dan is very active in the ranching community as a long time member of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, California Cattlemen's Association and serving as the current vice president of the Glenn-Colusa Cattlemen's Association. In addition, Dan has worked many years with farm youth groups including 4-H, FFA and the junior livestock committee among other things. Most notably, he was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the Colusa County Fair Board and was instrumental in establishing the Williamson Act on the valley floor in Colusa County. Now that Dan is retired he is finally living out his life long dream of ranching full time. Dan and his wife, Barbara, live on their ranch in Colusa County where they raise Black Angus cattle, tree fruit and rice. 

DARRELL WOOD,  Vina

Darrell Wood is the owner of Darrell Wood Ranches, with properties in both Vina and Susanville, California. Previously, he worked as a loan officer and assistant branch manager for the Chico Production Credit Association. Darrell is a member of the Susanville Elks Lodge, and past Chairman of the California Cattlemen's Association (CCA) Animal Care Committee and Vice Co-Chairman of CCA's Membership Committee.Currently the President of the Western Grassland Beef Inc., and also serves as the Director of the Lassen County Utilities District.Darrell is also a board member of Western Rancher's Beef Co-op.

Woody Barnes is a fourth-generation California rancher and farmer.With his wife, Jane, he currently owns and manages a cow-calf operation in Corning, CA and Fort Klamath, OR.He also raises cut flowers and apples in Julian, CA.Woody holds a BA degree from Pomona College and a MS in botany from the University of Michigan.He is graduate of the California Ag Leadership Program and Fellow with the AAAS.

Koopmann is a fifth generation rancher in the East Bay Area and carried on the longtime family heritage by starting his own cow/calf herd, Walking C Livestock, while continuing to help out on the home ranch whenever needed. A 2007 graduate from University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Management and Rangeland Resources, Koopmann is currently employed full time as the rangeland ecologist/rangeland management specialist for Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Koopmann is heavily involved in the beef industry and in rangeland conservation and serves as a director for the Contra Costa-Alameda County Cattlemen’s Association and is the rangeland management specialist serving the Alameda County Agricultural Advisory Committee.

JACK RICE, Davis

Jack Rice, Davis, is the owner/operator of Larabee Ranch, a hay and cattle operation in Humboldt County.  After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with an agribusiness degree, he returned to the ranch for several years.  The political and legal challenges facing agriculture encouraged him to attend UC Davis Law School where he earned his law degree, concentrating in environmental and agricultural law.

STEVE SINTON, Board Member Emeritus, Shandon

Steve Sinton, a fourth-generation San Luis Obispo County rancher, was the Rangeland Trust's founding chairman. A graduate of Stanford University and the University of Colorado Law School, Steve practiced water and environmental law in Sacramento and San Luis Obispo County for fifteen years before retiring to operate two family cattle ranches in SLO County with his father and manage several commercial buildings in the City of San Luis Obispo. The Sinton family also operates a 120-acre vineyard.Steve is a member of the California Cattlemen's Association, the San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen's Association and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association,the San Luis Obispo County Water Resources Advisory Committee, and the San Luis Obispo County Native Tree Committee.Steve was awarded the National American Farmland Trust Steward of the year in 2005.

DARREL SWEET, Livermore

Darrel Sweet owns and manages a cow/calf and stocker operation in Livermore.He is a past President of the California Cattlemen's Association and a former Director of the Alameda County Resource Conservation District, Darrel is also a member of the California Beef Council and the Contra Costa-Alameda Cattlemen's Association.

MARK NELSON, Wilton

Mark Nelson, along with his wife and son, owns Five Star Land & Livestock which is an Angus seedstock producer located in Wilton, CA. They have successfully shown Angus cattle on a national and state level.

Mark has been the President of California Cattlemen's Association (CCA), the Western States Angus Association and has served as the Chairman of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Membership Committee. Additionally, Mark has served in various roles with CCA.

Mark has been a successful real estate developer completing major residential subdivisions, office parks, retail projects and the Elk Grove Auto Mall. Mark is also a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers. He started the Sacramento Commercial Bank and was Vice Chairman for 12 years.

JULIE KIRBY, Secretary, Los Olivos

Julie Kirby is a retired attorney with an undergraduate degree in biology and nearly two decades experience working with landowners, businesses, and policymakers regarding issues of environmental regulatory compliance, soil and groundwater remediation, and environmental insurance claims.

Julie also served as a Board member of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association and a Trustee of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. A graduate of Southern California College with a degree in biology and Santa Barbara College of Law, Julie resides today with her husband Steve in Los Olivios, CA.

JIM CHANCE, Ballico

Jim Chance has been involved in farming and ranching all of his life. As a founder of Stockman’s Bank and his earlier experience with Security State Bank, Jim also brings a background in banking. Currently Jim and his wife Judy along with three children own and operate ranches in Sacramento, Yolo and San Joaquin Counties, as well as Colorado and Mexico. Jim has worked extensively with the Nature Conservancy as a conservation buyer, purchasing ranches with conservation easements in place. Jim holds a B.S. in Agricultural Business Management from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

JOHN HERLIHY, Vice Chair, Modesto

With a background and long history in livestock production and agriculture financing, John Herlihy lends years of expertise to the Rangeland Trust Board of Directors. He was vice president of marketing at American Farm Credit and vice president of marketing for Yosemite Farm Credit. Herlihy currently operates his own personal livestock business and is a director for Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, VP for the San Joaquin/Stanislaus Cattlemen's Association, Board Chair for the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors Ag Advisory Committee, California Cattlemen's Association member and Modesto Junior College Ag Department Advisory Committee. His passion for the livestock industry, along with his agriculture finance experience, encouraged Herlihy to join Rangeland Trust’s board and work to help landowners achieve their conservation goals.

DANIEL SINTON, San Luis Obispo

Daniel Sinton, a fifth generation rancher in San Luis Obispo County, brings an impressive resume of experience and expertise in fundraising and development to the California Rangeland Trust Board of Directors. He is dedicated to furthering the mission of CRT and saving working landscapes for his generation and those that follow. Sinton graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts and from the Stanford Graduate School of Business – Summer Institute.  After college, Sinton spent five years in the fundraising arena for non-profit organizations, generating $10 million in that time. He recently moved back to the family ranch with his wife and new born baby, and is in the process of building a home on the family ranch in Shandon, Calif.