Patricia Smith Adams
A founding director of Nikwasi Land Trust, Patricia served on the Board until 2006. She is a teacher, writer, and author of three books and numerous articles. She has partnered with her husband, John Adams, founder of Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), in their environmental life and the building of NRDC. With family ties to Western North Carolina, Patricia has a passion for conservation in the area and has worked to bring national attention to the Little Tennessee River Valley and Mainspring’s mission.
Richard Clark
Richard is a native of Franklin, N.C. where he met and married his wife, Kim, and happily raised their daughter, Alex. Richard served on the Mainspring Board of Directors from 2002-2019, serving as chairman, vice-chair and secretary. Founder and president of Clark & Co Landscape Services since 1989, Richard has been instrumental in the beautification of Mainspring’s brownfield property in the river district of Franklin.
Ken Murphy
Ken is a former chair of the Mainspring Board of Directors and helped lead the land trust through the merger of the Little Tennessee Watershed Association and the successful name change of the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee to Mainspring Conservation Trust. Ken is the co-founder of Lazy Hiker Brewing Co. in Franklin. He retired from Acuity Brands, Inc. (an Atlanta-based, NYSE-listed manufacturer), where he served as executive vice president, general counsel, and chief administrative officer. He and his wife split their time between the mountains in the North Carolina and the beaches of St. Augustine, Florida.
