Meet the PACD Region Directors

In the fall, PACD published interviews with the PACD Executive Board. Continuing in the series of "getting to know your leadership," PACD Region Directors were interviewed. Who retired from the Department of Defense? Who has been a conservation district director since the 1970s? Read on to find out!

Don Bashore (Juniata Conservation District) - South Central Region Director
Don is retired from Bashore Real Estate and Appraising. He has been involved with the conservation district for nine years. Don serves on PACD's Conservation Committee. Outside of conservation districts, Don is involved in agricultural land preservation, his county comprehensive planning committee, and the township planning committee. He and his wife Cathy have one daughter.

Don Koontz (Mercer Conservation District) - North West Region Director
Don is a retired dairy farmer who has been with the conservation district for five years and currently serves as vice-president. As a newly elected region director, he hopes to facilitate and encourage greater networking within his region. Don has served as his district's representative to PACD for three years and has served on the PACD Legislative Committee for two years. He is on the Ag Choice Farm Credit board, Liberty Jersey Sires board, and is involved in his county extension office. Don has been married for thirty-six years, has four children, and six grandchildren.

Harold Kulp (Chester Conservation District) - South East Region Director
Harold is a semi-retired farmer raising dairy cows and crops. He has been a conservation district director since the 1970s and is currently a member of the PACD Legislative Committee. In addition, Harold serves as chair of the East Coventry Township Planning Commission, co-chair of the PA Farm Bureau's membership committee, and attends Coventry Church of the Brethren. He is married and has four children.

Bob Ritchey (Cambria Conservation District) - South West Region Director
Bob retired from the Department of Defense in 1988. His last position was as director of ammunition operations at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, PA. He has been with the conservation district for over ten years and currently serves as vice-chairman. His goal as the region director is to bring together the conservation districts to support PACD and become more active in PACD. Bob currently serves as chairman of the PACD Conservation Committee and is a member of the Operations Committee. Bob was commissioned in 2003 by Governor Rendell to serve on the Ohio River Basin Committee to develop the PA Water Plan. In addition, he serves as vice-chairman of the Stonycreek, Conemaugh River Improvement Project. He has been married for fifty-one years, has three daughters, and six grandchildren.

Bob Robinson (Wyoming Conservation District) - North East Region Director
Bob retired from teaching eighth grade general and physical science in 1997 after thirty-one years. He still teaches behind the wheel driver training. This keeps him involved with the school and with the kids, which he enjoys. Bob has been involved with the conservation district for ten years and currently serves as chairman. His goal as region director is to conduct meaningful meetings twice each year with a leadership development component and district exchange on regional issues. Bob also serves on the PACD Operations Committee and is PACD's representative on the Penn State Agricultural Council. He is also on the Tunkhannock Borough Council, Penn State Ag Alumni Society Board of Directors, Tunkhannock Borough Shade Tree Commission, Northeast PA Corvette Club, and volunteers at the Triton Hose Company. He has two children.

John Torok (Potter Conservation District) - North Central Region Director
John was a dairy farmer for forty years and county commissioner for eight years. He has been a director at the conservation district for eight years. John's goal as region director is to get conservation districts involved in complaints and questions from residents before the Department of Environmental Protection steps in. In addition to his involvement with PACD and the conservation district, John is a member of the Farm Bureau and assists them with government relations as needed. He has been married for forty-five years to his childhood sweetheart. They have three sons and three grandchildren.

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