Our Board

The Lake Lanier Association Board is a group of passionate people concerned about preserving and protecting Lake Lanier for future generations. The group consists of local business people, residents, retired executives, fishermen, nature enthusiasts, boaters and paddlers who all respect the lake and care about its stewardship. The LLA Board of Directors volunteers their time and talents in many ways from organizing numerous programs such as the Annual Shore Sweep, Solar Lights Program, Island Erosion Control, Abandoned Boats and getting involved with the legislative processes affecting Lake Lanier.

Get to Know Our Board of Directors

Todd Baxter Headshot
Todd Baxter, President

Todd Baxter was appointed President of LLA in late May 2022.

Todd is a native of the Southeast with direct ties to North Georgia going back 15+ years.  During that time Todd and his family of five have spent significant time on our lake and have come to call the shores of Lake Lanier their year-round home.  As an LLA member who lives on the lake, Todd and his family have a personal and vested interest in ensuring the lake is Clean, Full and Safe!  As a family, they spend nearly all of their spare time enjoying some aspect of our lake or in some body of water elsewhere in the world.  In addition to a bachelor’s degree in Finance and an MBA, Todd has decades of experience leading global customer service organizations for marquee companies.  He plans to bring his expertise in managing large groups of people, processes and technology toward achieving common goals together for the benefit of our lake community.

Clyde Morris Headshot
Clyde Morris, Vice President Secretary

A native of Baltimore and an alumnus of the University of Virginia, Clyde moved to the Atlanta area in 1975 to attend law school at Emory and never left. His introduction to the Lake started with a visit to Lake Lanier Islands during law school and continued when he taught himself to roll a whitewater kayak in the waters near Six Mile Creek in the early 1980s. 

By the 1990s he was bringing his family to various campgrounds around the lake and, eventually, added a motor boat for use during the longer visits. He finally bought a weekender on the lake in Gainesville in 2001 and moved up full time in 2007. 

His involvement with LLA began when he noticed an LLA sticker on the door of his newly-purchased lake home, which prompted him to contact Val Perry, LLA’s long-time president, to volunteer. He’s been working with the board ever since and represented LLA for many years in the “Water Wars” with Florida and Alabama. His work in those cases brought widespread recognition of Lake Lanier’s vital role in the North Georgia economy and garnered LLA visibility for its role in helping to keep the lake full, clean, and safe.

Jim Bailey, Vice President Treasurer

Jim Bailey is originally a native of Fannin County, Georgia. He retired as an executive in the aerospace industry after 40 years of service. Jim has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Technical Institute and a Master’s Degree of Business Administration in Finance from Georgia State University. Today, Jim resides on Lake Lanier and provides business consulting services. He is also actively engaged in community volunteer activities and is especially honored to be on the Lake Lanier Association Board of Directors. He has a firm commitment to the LLA mission of pursuing a Clean, Full, and Safe Lake. After all, from his perspective the lake is in his backyard.

Prior to joining the LLA as Treasurer, he had served as a Board Member and Treasurer for two other non-profit organizations in the local area. In his leisure time, Jim enjoys flying, boating, and golfing – probably in that order. He is an instrument rated pilot and has experience actively flying ten different models of light aircraft including Complex High-Performance, Technically Advanced Aircraft, and Tailwheel.

Billy Powell Headshot
Billy Powell, Vice President

A Hall County native, Billy has a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Southern Institute of Technology and over 25 years of project management experience with several manufacturing and consulting firms. Currently, he sells commercial real estate with SVN, Hokayem Company.  

Powell is also a current member of the Hall County Board of Commissioners and was just recently re-elected for a fifth four-year term.  He and his wife Helen reside in Hall County.  They have three children and five grandchildren who all reside in Hall County.  Powell has served on the Hall County Library Board, the Hall County Parks and Leisure Board, and currently serves on the Lake Lanier CVB Board, the Joint Lanier Development Authority with Forsyth County, the Gainesville/Hall Development Authority, the Economic Development Council, Keep Hall Beautiful Board, and the Lake Lanier Association Board.  

Bonney Putney Headshot
Bonny Putney, Vice President

Bonny is a long time lake resident and has been involved with LLA since 1997. She has a background in waste disposal and gravitated to helping with Shore Sweep. She became Shore Sweep Chairman in 2015 helping to organize the annual event, which removed over 90 tons of trash in 2022.

In addition to her work with LLA, Bonny has also served and worked with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Friends of Gainesville Parks, Keep Hall County Beautiful and Georgia River Network. An avid kayaker she paddles regularly on rivers around the Southeast.

Kelly Headshot
Kelly Marlowe, Membership Engagement

Kelly Martin Marlowe is excited to be a recent addition to the LLA board and hopes to make a positive impact specifically around partnership and membership engagement. A native of Athens and a UGA Alumni, Kelly has returned to Georgia from NYC choosing Gainesville to set down roots. With degrees in Journalism and Fashion Merchandising, she has spent her career in merchandising, eCommerce retail and CPG brand management. In their free time, Kelly and her husband Cord enjoy traveling, eating, residential remodeling, sustainability, running with their Vizsla, sparkling water and health & wellness products.

Terry Morrisey, ADDV

Terry has lived on Lake Lanier for 28 years and started a retail, wholesale and DIY dock repair business in 2001, now called Southeastern Dock Supply in Gainesville. Two of Terry’s three children have followed suit in running the business operations, Patrick as company President and Colleen as Vice-President. Terry earned his BBA from Georgia State University and also holds an AA in Criminal Justice. He has held a US Coast Guard Masters Captain’s License too (civilian). Prior to joining the LLA Board, Terry enjoyed a successful career in Business Development and Sales throughout Atlanta in the telecommunications arena. He’s also served on other reputable Boards, including the Hall County Chamber of Commerce (2018-200) and Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, where he earned the accolade “Ambassador of the Year” in 2018.

When reflecting on his involvement around Lanier, Terry comments, “I think it’s very important for us all to be involved in the health, safety and general welfare of Lake Lanier for future generations to continue to enjoy.” Terry joined the LLA Board of Directors in August 2023. He will bring his expertise and knowledge to help LLA with Shore Sweep and the ADDV Programs. Terry hopes to be able to bring awareness and education to other business owners on Lanier too. He says, “I feel that we really have our finger on the pulse of the homeowners on Lanier as well as the contractors who make their living here, we are talking to them on a daily basis.” When he’s not on the water, Terry enjoys spending quality time with his grandchildren – Braxton, Madelyn and Payton.

Bev Nichols Headshot
Beverly Nicholls, Adopt-a-Lake

Beverly and her husband Dennis have enjoyed living on the shores of Lake Lanier for 25 years. She became involved with LLA when she volunteered for the Adopt-A-Lake program in 2002. She became the Adopt-A-Lake coordinator and joined the board of directors in 2003 and continues with these responsibilities today. 

Beverly received her Bachelor’s of Science in laboratory science from Texas State University and went on to work in medical labs, with the Texas Health Department and in research labs at Oregon State University and the University of South Dakota.

Dan L Ohman Headshot
Dan L. Ohman, Safety and Life Jacket Loaner Stations

Dan graduated with a BBA in 1984 from The University of Texas at Austin. He enjoyed a 34 year career with UnitedHealth Group, where he served as Chief Executive Officer of several UnitedHealthcare businesses, and served on the Executive Leadership Team for UnitedHealth Group.

Dan currently serves as CEO of Tributary Enterprises LLC, an investment and advisory business. In addition, his not for profit activities include his board role with the Lake Lanier Association, serving on the board of the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation, and serving as the chairman and board member of The Ohman Family Foundation.

Dan and his wife Connie of 34 years currently reside in Atlanta, with most weekends spent at their lake house in Gainesville. Here they enjoy spending time with their adult children, Jake and Casey, dog Bear, and sharing time with family and friends.

Kirby Scheimann, Shore Sweep

Kirby Cay Scheimann joins the LLA Board of Directors with a background in Marina Management and Radio Entertainment. He first came to Lake Lanier in 2000, as General Manager of Aqualand Marina. While at Aqualand, he was a founding officer of the Marina Operators of Lake Lanier (MOAA); MOAA went on to win multiple National Marina Day awards and hosted the National Event of the Year in 2004. His marina experience is extensive, in addition to being a Certified Marina Manager, he also served as a Board Member and Officer of the Metro Atlanta Marine Trade Association, on the faculty of the International Marina Institute, presenter for the Association of Marina Industries, and as a Committee Member and Chairperson of the National Marina Day Committee. Kirby has also been recognized for his work in the Radio and Entertainment Industry. While working in the Florida Keys, he received multiple broadcaster of the year awards, acoustic entertainer, MC’d multiple community events and earned multiple Hurricane Coverage awards.

The water is in his roots, as he was born into a boating family and raised in Northeast Indiana. His entire family was involved in all levels of competition and show waterskiing for decades, winning multiple state championships. Since settling in the Yellow Creek area of Lake Lanier, his family has participated in every Shore Sweep since 2014. Since 2019, Kirby has helped Co-Captain the Shore Sweep site, War Hill Park. He is the proud Papa of three amazing grandchildren who love the lake, the oldest of which has been on the Family Shore Sweep Team since turning four years old.

Tom Shillock Headshot
Tom Shillock, Adopt-a-Lake

Tom Shillock comes to the LLA with over 31 years of experience working with the State of Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and environmental services with the metro-Atlanta District compliance office; Air Quality Forecaster and in the Watershed Protection Branch and Floodplain Management Unit. He also worked in partnership with FEMA Region IV as the State Cooperative Technical Partner; Georgia Floodplain Management Coordinator, GIS Specialist.

After retiring from the State of Georgia in 2016, he and his wife, Cathy, moved to the Gainesville area in the fall of 2019. In all his travels throughout North Georgia, he recalls viewing Lake Lanier with a special passion and dream to someday be better associated with the remarkable community and watershed that is Lake Lanier.

Tom looks at Lanier with great reverence, respect and enthrallment. He knows, undoubtedly, that this is where he is meant to be and as long as he is here, he vows to do his best to sustain, and maintain the beauty of this North Georgia gem – our beloved, Lake Lanier.

Skip Short, Headshot Cropped
Skip Short, Erosion and Sedimentation

Skip is a lifelong resident of Georgia who grew up on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, GA.  Even after leaving for college and then working in Atlanta as a Civil Engineer, the lake pulled him and his family back to the shores full time.  Skip has decades of Stormwater Management experience working for some of the top global stormwater companies.  He is currently the owner of SRG (Short Resource Group), which provides consulting and solutions for municipalities, engineering and development companies ensuring they comply with the Clean Water Act.

Besides enjoying Lake Lanier with his wife Mendy, daughter, son and friends, he spends a lot of time on the water year-round fishing for the elusive Striper.  This has also allowed him a unique perspective in getting to know every part of the lake.  Skip wants to ensure that Lake Lanier remains the jewel that it is now and well into the future.

Matt Williams Headshot
Matt Williams, ADDV

Matt, an Atlanta native, grew up enjoying the lake and is a 20 year resident of Lake Lanier.  Matt is an attorney with Matthew D. Williams & Associates LLC.  and CEO of SignalRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He has a BA and JD from the University of Georgia. He is passionate about removing abandoned docks and vessels from the lake and enjoying spending time on the lake, the outdoors and anything that goes fast.

Dan Youngblood, Member Engagement

Dan Youngblood joins the LLA Board of Directors with a background in Data and Technology Leadership in Fortune 500 companies. He is a graduate from Virginia Tech, where he studied Aerospace Engineering. He grew up boating on rivers and lakes in Virginia before moving to Atlanta in 1994. Throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s, Dan spent countless hours enjoying the lake by boat which was kept at Lan-Mar Marina (now Port Royale). In 2003, with his first son on the way, Dan and his family made the decision to buy a second home on the lake in Dawsonville. While he calls East Cobb home, Lake Lanier is a big part of his life and his family’s. His children have grown up on the lake, and it has been a continuous source of peace, fun, and connection for Dan’s family and friends.

Dan loves the outdoors, water sports and anything on 2 wheels. He and a group of like-minded friends have formed a group, coining the name “Wake and Sprockets Dudefest” (WSD). Collectively, they gather annually for a retreat full of boating, biking and lake fun. The men of WSD have volunteered with LLA since 2020 and supported LLA with donations, as well as company matched funds. As Dan and his wife, Laura, looks forward to becoming empty nesters, they are excited to spend more time on the lake and giving back.

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