Four New Members Named to MSC Board

Posted By Les Conklin on Jun 10, 2015

Courtesy of McDowell Sonoran Conservancy

“Room and a View” by Mike Conklin

(Scottsdale, AZ -June 26, 2015) By unanimous vote, four new board members were added to the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy Board of Directors at the June Board meeting. Dennis Miller, Gasper Genovese, Bryan Kearney, and Rick Cooper will begin their new Board duties in July bringing the current Board to nineteen members. The four new members will help to guide the Conservancy into the future after nearly 25 years of service to protect, maintain and preserve Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserver for this and future generations.

Dennis Miller

Dennis is the Founder and Co-Chairman of Miller Russell Associates. He provides investment advisory services to individual and corporate investors, foundations, endowments, and qualified plans. He also serves as a member of the Investment Policy Committee. Dennis has been recognized by Barron’s as one of the country’s top 100 Independent Financial Advisors.

Dennis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Washington State University, and a graduate certificate from the Pacific Coast School of Banking. Prior to starting Miller Russell Associates in 1991, Dennis worked in the commercial banking industry, most recently as Executive Vice President for Citibank of Arizona, where he managed the corporate banking function.

Dennis also serves on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Science Center. In his free time, he enjoys various outdoor and physical fitness activities.

Gasper Genovese

Gasper Genovese was named Vice President of Information Technology and CIO of the Arizona Republic (now Republic Media) in October 2001. Prior to that he had been Director of Newspaper/Field System Services for the Gannett Corporation; prior to that he was Vice President of Information Technology at the Detroit Newspaper Agency.

Mr. Genovese has a Master’s Degree in Management from Central Michigan University and a Bachelors degree in Operations Research and Information Systems from Eastern Michigan University. He began his career as a computer programmer for the Detroit News in 1979.

He has been active in the Boy Scouts of America where he is currently serving as a member of the Grand Canyon Council Board of Trustees. Mr. Genovese is a former member of the Arizona Theater Company board of Trustees.

Mr. Genovese and his wife Laura have two sons and live in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Bryan Kearney

Bryan Kearney is vice president and chief information officer for Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Based in Phoenix, APS is Arizona’s largest electric company and serves nearly 1.2 million customers across the state.

Kearney has almost 30 years of experience managing information systems, technology infrastructures and technical staff. He joined APS in 2014 from the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) where he was vice president, information systems. During his tenure at MISO, one of the world’s largest energy markets, he was responsible for cyber security and information protection, safeguarding the integrity and availability of information systems and data. He also managed IT strategy, operational planning, development, implementation, compliance, risk management and infrastructure.

Kearney previously served as the top technology officer at Bear Creek Corporation in Oregon and then for IDACORP Inc. and Idaho Power Company. He progressed into those roles from director-level information-technology positions in the government sector. From 1984 to 1990, he served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, advancing from second lieutenant to captain as a data systems officer.

He holds an undergraduate degree in computer science from Hiram College in Ohio and a master’s degree in systems management from the University of Southern California.

Rick Cooper

Rick Cooper is retired from a career in corporate finance with Shell Oil Company and is an active McDowell Sonoran Conservancy steward who has assumed several leadership roles within the Conservancy since he became a steward in 2011.

On March 31, 2015 he termed out after two years as Chair of the Conservancy Pathfinders program, leading its growth through a critical period when two new major trailheads opened (Tom’s Thumb and Brown’s Ranch). He currently serves as assistant Pathfinders chair to assist the new chair with learning the Program. He has served on other steward committees as well.

Rick joined the MSC Finance Committee as a non-Director member during FY2013 and has served on the Finance committee ever since. In July, 2014 he became MSC’s internal auditor and now performs quarterly audits of our financial statements, payroll, and quarterly taxes with reports to the Finance committee. Rick and his wife Judy live in north Scottsdale. Judy is also an active Conservancy steward.

The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy has for 24 years championed the sustainability of Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the largest urban preserve in the nation, for the benefit of this and future generations. As stewards, the Conservancy connects the community to the Preserve through education, research, advocacy, partnerships and safe, respectful access. For more information about the Conservancy, or how you can support the work of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, contact Edward Phillips, Director of Development and Communications at 480-998-7971 Ext. 101.