Place of employment: ThyssenKrupp Elevator

Committees on which you serve CMT, other CMT projects:  assisted with Plant Sale

Other civic involvement: BOMA (Building Owner’ / Managers Association) -Community Services Committee

Resident of McKinney since: 2005-2008, recently moved to Prosper

I enjoy the Crape Myrtle Trails project because: It allows me to participate in a community that my wife and I love as well as providing an avenue to exercise my “green thumb.”

Place of employment:  Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Collin County

Committees on which you serve CMT, other CMT projects: Horticulture

Other civic involvement: Provide free educational and outreach programs in Horticulture to the citizens of Collin County.

Resident of McKinney since:  Resident of Allen, Work in McKinney and all of Collin County

I enjoy the Crape Myrtle Trails project because of the benefits it provides our community. The beautification of the our public places, homes, businesses, and schools with Crape Myrtles improves the quality of life in McKinney.

Bram Franklin joined the CMT board in 2003.  He chairs the Horticulture Committee and is employed by Bonick Landscape.  He has an extensive background in the green industry covering many aspects of commercial and landscape horticulture.  He lives in Dallas but admits he loves McKinney.  He is on the House Building and Grounds Committee of Temple Emanu-El and he has served on the Preschools Committee at the Jewish Community Center in Dallas.

Bram says he enjoys the CMT project because, in his words, "This not only improves the beauty of McKinney, but also creates a national scientific achievement in the study of Crape Myrtles never seen before."

Nancy James joined the CMT board in 2005. She is employed by the McKinney Independent School District as Assistant Superintendent of Support Services.  In simple terms, Nancy and her team are responsible for all the facilities and grounds of the MISD.  Since much of the CMT work involves school campuses it is natural to have her involved on our board.  She is a native McKinney resident.

When asked why she enjoyed the CMT project Nancy replied: "My grandmother had a love of nature that she worked hard to instill in each of her grandchildren.  She was especially fond of crape myrtles."

Sharon Lobb joined the CMT board in 2007.  She is employed by Pat Lobb Toyota of McKinney and she and Pat signed on as 2006 Super Sponsors of the CMT even before they moved from Houston to open his dealership.  She has served on the Gala and Fun Run Committees for CMT events.  They are parents and grandparents and are proud to call McKinney their home.

Sharon says on one of their first visits to McKinney they drove down Eldorado Parkway.  The crape myrtles were in full bloom and she immediately felt at home.  She adds, "What a pleasure to now work on a project that will keep our city beautiful."

Tom Pearce joined the CMT board in 2005.  His leadership has been instrumental in building a strong, working board and a vital not-for-profit organization.  He currently serves as Vice-President and is on the Board Development Committee.  Tom is President of iLead Consulting and Training.  Both through his business and volunteer efforts Tom teaches leadership development, teambuilding and coaching.  He serves on several local boards and writes for McKinney Living Magazine.

Tom says his dream for the CMT project some day is to be able to look back and say "I had a hand in the early days of that program!"

John Rattan joined the CMT board in 2005. He owns The Body Shop in McKinney and serves on boards of McKinney Main Street and the McKinney Education Foundation. He is active in affairs of the McKinney Chamber. John was born in McKinney but he lives in northern Collin County. He is chair of Anna P&Z and is on the Anna Chamber Board and the Anna Economic Development Council. John chairs the CMT Development Committee. He was named Citizen of the Year for McKinney in 2007.

John says he enjoys The Crape Myrtle Trails project because it is a great cause for all of the community.

Karen Reid is a founding and continuous member of the CMT board (1998).  She is a homemaker and also with BLB Partners.  She has served as the organization's elected (and only!) Treasurer.  She and her family have lived in McKinney since 1995.  She has served on many different CMT projects from our annual galas to the plant sale and in the schools as the Sunrise Rotary Club distributed crape myrtles to area 5th graders.

Karen says she enjoys the CMT project because it beauties our city and educates the public.

Michelle Shook has been a member of the CMT board since 2005. She chairs the CMT Marketing Committee and serves on the Fun Run Committee. She serves as Sales Manager for Neil Sperry's GARDENS Magazine and radio program. She volunteers as a Master Gardener and occasionally speaks to groups on the Texas A&M EarthKind Rose and Soils Management programs.

Michelle says while she does not live in McKinney (Richardson) she is proud to be associated with a civic organization that is so dedicated to community beautification. "I love trees of all kinds and think everyone should plant one tree or crape myrtle every year."

Lynn Sperry is a founding member of the CMT board (1998). She has also served on the McKinney ISD board since 1984 and is a founding member of both the McKinney Education Foundation and the Serenity High advisory board. She served 82 ISDs as representative to the Texas Association of School Boards in Austin 1994-2006. Along with husband Neil she was named co-Volunteer of the Year in 1997. She was McKinney's Citizen of the Year in 2006.

Lynn says the most exciting part of the Crape Myrtle Trails for her is actually getting to see miles and miles of wonderful flowers each summer.

Neil Sperry is a founding member of the CMT board (1998). He publishes GARDENS Magazine in McKinney and hosts Neil Sperry's Texas Gardening on KRLD radio. He has served in leadership on boards of Avenues Counseling Center in McKinney and the Volunteer Services Council of the Denton State School. He is a founding member of the Serenity High advisory board. He serves as President of the CMT board. He was McKinney's Citizen of the Year for 2003.

Neil's dream for the CMT is hot air balloon rides taken to see the miles of crape myrtles filling the city's roads, parks and school yards. Sadly, Neil says, he won't be riding any of those balloons.

kk joined the CMT board in 2005.  She is a lifelong resident of McKinney and is employed at Craig International, Inc.  She has chaired the Founder's Club Gala for the past three years.  She serves on the Board of Boys and Girls Clubs of Collin County.  She is involved with the Downtown McKinney Association and is a founding member of the McKinney Main Street Program. She is on the editorial board for McKinney Living Magazine.

kk says that she enjoys the CMT project because it is all about the beauty of McKinney.  She says, "Having worked for the historical preservation of our downtown, I enjoy working for the future of McKinney as a destination."

Place of employment:  Phil D. Wheat, C.F.P. – Certified Financial Planner / Registered Investment Advisor

Committees on which you serve CMT, other CMT projects: Finance Team

Other civic involvement:  McKinney Rotary Club

Resident of McKinney since:  1999

I enjoy the Crape Myrtle Trails project because:  Our city adding a “World Class” element to it’s core.  I also enjoy the people on our board.

Bill Whitfield served two terms as Mayor of the City of McKinney, during which time he was a staunch supporter of The Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney project.  Upon leaving that office, Bill was elected to board membership (2009). Bill and his wife moved to McKinney in 1992.  He is retired from a sales position with Kraft Foods.  He is a member of the Subcommittee on Clean Air Quality and the Boards of McKinney Alliance, Cross Timbers Youth Orchestra and North Collin County Habitat for Humanity.  In 2005 he received the Partner in Excellence Award from the National Watershed Coalition and the Metroplex Co-Champion Tree Certificate from the Texas Forest Service and Texas A&M.  In 2007 he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from Wayland Baptist University.

Bill says he joined to CMT project to further enhance the natural beauty of McKinney, to help establish The World Collection of Crape Myrtles at Craig Ranch, and to assist in forming a partnership between the City, developers and the CMT to plant 50,000 new crape myrtles in McKinney before 2114.  (We are well on our way of achieving Bill's goal.)