We caught up with Richard Ames , current chairman of the Kiawah Conservancy , at his home in the Preserve on Blue Heron Pond Road . Richard ’ s love of nature is immediately apparent . Easy chairs on the back deck face down a long stretch of marsh and the maritime forest . Well-stocked bird feeders line the deck rails , and painted buntings are frequent visitors .
Richard majored in geology at Duke University and completed his graduate work at the University of Georgia . He and his wife Laura have lived in many locations during his career including twelve years in Russia in the oil and gas industry . With retirement in mind , they visited different areas in warm places and were attracted to several . Happily , as part of their exploration , they made a stop in Charleston , saw Kiawah Island , and bought the lot where their home is now located the next day .
Because of his love of nature , Richard was drawn to the Conservancy and served on various committees before becoming a member of the board . Of primary importance to him are the organization ’ s efforts to preserve the Island ’ s natural habitats and wildlife . He particularly enjoys living in a place that in many respects looks the way it has for centuries despite the development that has occurred . He devotes much of his energy to helping to maintain Kiawah ’ s natural environment for future generations .
By the time we met with Richard Warner , the current vice chairman of the Conservancy , the story had begun to have a very familiar ring . Rich is scheduled to assume the chairmanship of the Conservancy in March 2019 . He and his family lived in Michigan but frequently looked for places to retire in warmer climes . They visited many destinations in the southeast , but when they visited Kiawah Island , they knew they had found their home . They were on the Island for a week , during which time they made an offer on a house . That purchase never materialized , but a week later they purchased a lot , sight unseen , which became the location of the home where they live today . Rich retired , and they moved to South Carolina to stay in 2012 .
Rich spent his career as an investment advisor with Edward Jones and enjoyed a slow retirement , training and mentoring his successor as he eased into working less and ultimately moving to South Carolina . Rich and his wife Chris have three grownup daughters and four grandsons , all of whom love Kiawah as much as they do . They have fashioned and reworked their home into two separate living areas . Rich observes that he and Chris plan to live in the smaller space as their “ assisted living ” abode forever .
Like so many others , Rich came to the Conservancy through his friends and neighbors who told him about the organization and convinced him that he could make a significant contribution . He agreed to serve on the board of trustees , and his first term began in March 2013 . He emphasizes the importance of community involvement in the Conservancy and hopes to continue to build support for its mission .
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