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Donald H. Ross, President and Chief Executive Officer

As president and CEO of EarthBalance^®, Don Ross provides day-to-day leadership and vision to the firm's senior management team. Mr. Ross has been at the forefront of environmental regulatory policy for more than two decades and understands the challenges of blending environmental protection into the economics of growth. With a commitment to environmental stewardship in conjunction with economic development, Mr. Ross is a tireless advocate for the preservation and restoration of the natural environment.. He holds a M.S. degree in Ecology and a B.S. degree in Forestry from the University of Tennessee.

In addition to his knowledge of environmental science and policy, Mr. Ross is adept at interpreting and presenting technical information that underlies public policy decisions, particularly on water issues. His leadership has enabled the company to achieve notable success in the areas of ecosystem restoration, wetland mitigation banking, phosphate mine reclamation, public land acquisition, ecological assessments, and water resource development.

Mr. Ross is widely recognized for his leadership in wetland mitigation banking. As the manager of four successful mitigation banks in Florida, he has demonstrated a notable track record in all phases of mitigation bank development—from site selection and credit estimation to implementation and credit sales. In addition to the technical side, he is active in federal and state policy development that promotes the use of mitigation banking to protect sustainable natural areas in.

Mr. Ross is currently the chairman of Florida’s Environmental Regulation Commission. He has also served four years as a local elected official (Charlotte County Commission, 1990 -1994), a member of the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, a member of the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program Policy Committee, and vice-chairman of the Peace River Basin Board. He has been active on numerous statewide environmental policy advisory panels ranging in scope from technical to budgetary. His private non-profit interests have led him to serve on the boards of 1000 Friends of Florida, Leadership Florida, the Myakka Conservancy, and the Council for Sustainable Florida.

Charles L. Kocur, Vice President

Chuck Kocur is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist with over 20 years experience as an estuarine ecologist. As Vice President of EarthBalance^®, he provides both principal oversight and direct supervision on many larger-scale restoration and enhancement projects throughout Florida and the southeast. Mr. Kocur holds a M.S. degree in Biological Oceanography from Florida State University and a B.S. degree in Biology from Gannon College. He is a certified mangrove trimmer, and is certified in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Habitat Evaluation Procedures.

Mr. Kocur is knowledgeable in assessing reclamation practices and regulations in large-scale restoration of mined lands. Most recently, he directed the reclamation of approximately 1,400 acres of wetlands, the largest wetland mitigation project completed to date on clay settling areas. His unique understanding of both ecosystem functions and construction equipment and techniques results in innovative and cost-effective ecosystem restoration with a high probability of achieving desired environmental benefits. Mr. Kocur's proficiency extends to the areas of environmental impact assessments, ecosystem restoration and enhancement, land management plans, marina and navigation works permitting, seagrass ecosystem studies, water quality issues, wetland permitting for agriculture and mining, wetland mitigation, and the design and implementation of mitigation banks.

Mr. Kocur serves on the board of the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center. He has worked with local government as a member of the Charlotte County Environmental Land Acquisition Advisory Council and the Charlotte County Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee. In addition, he is a past president of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, has served on numerous Chamber committees and on the Environmental Advisory Committee of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and is actively involved with Leadership Florida.

Sarah J. Laroque, PMP - Vice President

Sarah Laroque is a senior biologist with 18 years of experience in the environmental field. As Vice President for the firm, her leadership, knowledge of project management, and experience in the areas of wetland delineation and evaluation, biological and ecological assessments, permitting and permit compliance, wetland compensation, and mitigation design has afforded the firm an invaluable source of expertise and consulting know-how that provides our clients with top quality results. Ms. Laroque specializes in the management of complex, large-scale projects and has been project manager for numerous permitting projects of various sizes and complexities around the State. She maintains an excellent working relationship with many of the regulatory agencies. Her experience includes working with public agencies on large water supply projects and other public need projects. Ms. Laroque holds a B.A. degree in Environmental Science from Plattsburgh State University with an emphasis in land management and ecology and is a 2002 graduate and fellow of the Natural Resources Leadership Institute (NRLI).

Karen F. Burnett, PG, Vice President

As Vice President, Karen Burnett, PG, oversees the firm's Administrative systems including policy and procedure, IT, human resources, workplace health and safety, safety training, and QA/QC program.

Karen Burnett, PG, has over 25 years experience as a principal investigator, supervisor, and manager of multi-disciplined projects and programs with specific expertise in geology and hydrogeology. She has authored or co-authored over 60 publications, technical reports, and articles on geologic and environmental subjects. Ms. Burnett has an MS degree in Geology from the University of Alabama and a BS in Geology from LaSalle College. She is a licensed Professional Geologist (PG) in Florida and Alabama, and a nationally Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) through the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

Building on over 25 years of professional experience in the public sector at both the state and local levels, Ms. Burnett remains an excellent source of technical expertise for EarthBalance®. Functioning on an as-needed basis as a Senior Scientist, she continues to provide project management, technical review, and technical writing skills to staff and clients. Ms. Burnett remains active in many national and state geologic and environmental organizations and has served as adjunct science faculty at the community college level.

Wade R. Waltimyer, PMP, Senior Biologist
Mitigation Banking Specialist

Wade Waltimyer is EarthBalance's Mitigation Banking Specialist responsible for the assessment and development of potential mitigation banks. He has over a decade of experience in wetland mitigation and monitoring, wetland permitting and permit compliance, wetland jurisdiction, wildlife surveying, and biological and ecological assessments. With his extensive knowledge of mitigation construction, Mr. Waltimyer specializes in site assessment, wetland impact evaluation, and mitigation credit consulting, as well as administering the firm's mitigation credit sales. He is responsible for the technical preparation of permits and coordination with various agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Water Management Districts, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He has successfully permitted mitigation banks in Sarasota, DeSoto, and Citrus Counties, and has several additional potential bank projects underway. Mr. Waltimyer's experience also includes habitat mapping/assessments and protected flora and fauna surveys on over 50,000 acres of property in Polk, Highlands, Sumter, DeSoto, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties. These projects typically ranged in size from 2,000 to 14,000 acres and included numerous large ranches, fringing saltwater systems, reclaimed mine land, and a variety of urban and suburban parcels. He has also assessed over 1,250 acres of environmentally sensitive land for a number of successful Florida Communities Trust (FCT) grant funding projects. He is actively in contact with regulatory agencies and is extremely knowledgeable in federal, state, and local environmental regulations. Mr. Waltimyer holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Florida State University.