Christopher Bowman, President: Chris lives in Midland with his wife, Shiela, and their four boys, four dogs, cat and bearded dragon. Chris has been an attorney in the Dow Legal Department for the past 14 years. Currently, his role is the Chief Compliance Officer/Senior Managing Counsel – Ethics, Employment, Labor & Benefits. Chris joined the HSoMC board in 2021 and is a member of the HR Committee.

Joyce Halstead, Vice-President : Joyce joined the board in 2024 after 14 years as a dedicated volunteer. During that time she wore about every volunteer hat in existance and even began a new endeavor, the spay/neuter assistance programs. She lives in Midland, usually with a rescued cat or two, and currently service on the Finance Committee for both HSOMC and her church. Joyce retired from the State of Michigan after 23 years of service.

Benjamin Dollard, Treasurer: Budget Committee chair: Benjamin is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial for 33 years and is a resident of Midland. Benjamin also served on the West Midland Family Center board and presently serves on the Kiwanis Foundation board. Benjamin and his wife, Kelly, have three dogs. Joined board 2019.

Terri Collins, Secretary, Terri retired from Dow in 2010 after 31 years with numerous positions in Information Services and Facility Management, including computer systems development, project management and supervision. Terri joined HSoMC in 2010 and has been involved in many projects and activities, including grant writing. She served on the Board from 2012-2017 as director and treasurer. Participate on funds development and nominating committees. Terri and her husband, Rick, have one rescue dog Mocha. Joined the board in 2024.

Karen Brines, Director: Karen is a dedicated foster, volunteer, and donor. Retired from City of Midland after 28 years in positions that ranged from truck driver and garbage thrower to 16 years as lead vactor operator and her last 8 as Gatehouse Attendant at Landfill. Lives in Larkin township with her husband Bo, and has 2 daughters (Beth, Emily). Owned and Loved by 3 dogs, 4 cats, 3 of which are foster failures, 1 horse, 10 chickens, and a duck named Marley. Joined the board in 2017.

Jerry Burns, Director, Election Committee Chair: Jerry is a Global Business IT Director with 25+ years of service at Dow. A 20+ year proud resident of Midland where he raised his children (Liam & Zoe), he recently relocated downstate with his wife (Keri) but continues to work in the city. Jerry is the dogfather of a precocious, one-eyed boxer (Lucile “Lucy” Penelope) and rescued a rambunctious Detroit pitty (Revley) from HSoMC in the spring of 2024. An avid sports fan, Jerry has coached for a broad range of area youth athletics while also donating his time in support of a variety of other local philanthropic organizations. Joined the board in 2023.

Patric Horner, Director: Patric has been involved in the adoption, rescue, and fostering of dogs for the past 15 years. He and his partner, Laura, have focused on rehabilitation of misunderstood dogs and senior dogs who deserve to be spoiled during their final adventures. In 2021, he adopted Juniper, a sweet blue pitty, from the Humane Society of Midland County. Patrick is a Director of Business Development at Dow, where he specializes in strategy implementation and building lasting relationships.

Tammy Sherman, Director: Tammy is an HR manager at Dow Chemical in Midland, Michigan and she chairs the HSoMC Human Resources committee. She has adopted and sponsored many pets, as well as rescued, fostered, and helped to get other pets adopted as well as volunteered at the HSoMC. Joined the board in 2022.

Heather Smith, Director: Heather has over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and business strategy. She recently focused on her family and volunteered at Gateway Family & Urgent Care in Midland, enhancing her commitment to helping both humans and animals. Growing up on a pig farm, Heather has always been connected to animals. Her journey in animal welfare began when she adopted her first dog from HSOMC, and she even considered a career as a veterinarian while working at a clinic in Maryland. Throughout her life, she has nurtured countless animals, faced the challenges of farm life, and made difficult humane decisions. She lives in Midland with her husband, Mike, their three children, and six animals. In her personal time, she enjoys sewing, design, and writing, always seeking ways to support animal welfare and community engagement.

Dawn Wright, Director: Dawn is a Trust Officer & Financial Planner at Tri-Star Trust Bank, she has worked in the financial services industry for the last eight years, prior to that time she worked in the non-profit space. Dawn lives in Midland with her beloved English Bulldog, Charlie. She joined the HSoMC Grants Committee as a grant writer in December 2023.

HSoMC Board of Directors Self-Nominations

If you are interested in self-nominating for the HSoMC Board of Directors, please see the information on requirements and process here.

Board of Director Requirements

Candidates should have experience in at least one of these areas:

• Fund-Raising
• Human Resources
• Finance
• Community Relations
• Marketing
• IT
• Business
• Education
• Legal
• Previous Non-Profit Board Experience.

Note: The HSoMC by-laws state that at least seventy-five percent (75%) of board members must be residents of Midland County, and only one person per household may serve as a director at any given time.

All board members are expected to:

• Be willing to make a commitment and actively lead/participate in board activities and Humane Society events and projects: We are a working board.
• Board Members will be expected to drive the strategic vision and plan; they will act as an escalation point as needed, but they will not be directly engaged in shelter operations.
• Be willing to raise funds and/or participate in fundraising.
• Review and abide by by-laws, code of conduct, and conflict of interest requirements.
• Accept legal and policy-setting responsibility for the agency.
• Represent HSoMC to the staff, members, volunteers & the community.

Time commitment: Estimate of an average of 10-15 hours monthly (not including projects or events)

• Board Meetings: 2-4 hours per meeting (six meetings a year)
• Committee Meetings: 2-4 hours per meeting (number varies by committee)
• Occasional special events: 2-4 hours/year
• General correspondence: 2-4 hours per month
• Projects: Varies

Self-Nominations for the HSoMC Board of Directors Candidates

If you are interested in volunteering for a Board of Directors (BoD) position at the Humane Society of Midland County (HSoMC) and feel you qualify based on the requirements above, please send your resume, County of Residence, and biography to the Election Committee at hsomc_election_committee@hsomc.org.

You may submit your interest at any time in the calendar year. Identifying potential candidates for the Board of Directors is an evergreen process. Please note that if you are submitting your interest prior to an upcoming election, you should submit your self-nomination with enough notice to allow the election committee to review your resume, perform interviews, etc.

Please note that submitting your self-nominations for consideration does not guarantee that you will be added to an election slate. All candidates are vetted based on the skillset requirements above.