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President |
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Will Spencer
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Other Responsibilities: Treasurer Shortly after that meeting I went on my first Reef Tour. I saw many beautiful tanks that day and knew I just had to have one of those for myself. Over time I learned where I had gone wrong with my office tank and went about the laborious task of overhauling it, including a trip with Mark out to the desert to get some Utah Rock. I learned so much from the club in my first couple of years that I decided that I just had to give back to the club and ran for office. The first year I ran for a presidency position I didn’t make it. Very few people know who I was. The next year I made sure I had gotten acquainted with more club members and ran again. Since becoming a presidency member I have had many opportunities to serve my fellow hobbyists and have learned a lot and had a lot of fun doing so. I look forward to serving the club as Vice President this year and hope to help make the club even better in 2009. I’m not only about Fish though. By trade I am a tax accountant and have recently started my own business out of my home preparing personal and business taxes and doing accounting work for small businesses. I enjoy the outdoor sports of fishing, hiking, camping and horseback riding. My wife and I joined the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Posse last year and we took 1st place in State in Arena Drill and 2nd in State in Parade Drill as well as placing in a few western events. I have a new horse this year, a big black Friesian named Titan. I can’t wait for him to be done in training so we can start showing off. |
Vice President |
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Shawn Winterbottom
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Other Responsibilities: Assistant Web Master |
Presidency Council - Council members are the support staff for the president and the vice-president. |
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Adam Blundell |
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Other Responsibilities: I'm Adam and I'm a science guy. I love this club and I love our club members. I first started coming to WMAS meetings before I could drive and have spent years making some wonderful memories with new friends. To me, that's what this club is about. Friendly people enjoying a hobby. My experience with this hobby has been going on for 25 years. Like most people I started with a small 10 gallon freshwater aquarium, and then two, and then a 55 gallon, and then some saltwater tanks, and eventually a basement filled with fish stuff. Learning about reefs, ocean ecosystems, and all the life they support is just fascinating to me. My job is to help educate, support, and encourage hobbyists. I spend a lot of time working hard to promote this club and to reach out to our local hobbyists. I look forward to the great time ahead with all my fish friends, and many more people we've yet to meet. |
Julie Blundell |
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Other Responsibilities: I have always looked up to my brother and been amazed by everything he did. One thing he always had a passion for was marine life both on a personal level and a global level. Wanting to be just like him I took up an interest in marine life too. I remember having my first aquarium when I was in elementary school, I hand fed freshwater frogs and tried breeding neon tetras. Not my most successful endeavor but I learned a lot. Thanks to my brother I learned more about salt water aquariums and have my first nano tank. I’m excited to be in the presidency this year, I have been attending meeting and have been a member of this club for many years. I look forward to helping members and bringing more social events to the club. I think this club is wonderful and I plan to do my part. I would like to see service projects that benefit our club and community. On a personal note I love spending time with my friends and family. I investigate child abuse, work with children in foster care, and provide in home services for the State of Utah as a career. I have a Master’s degree in Social Work and enjoy working with people. I love to read, cook, travel, and listen to music in my free time. Anything else you want to know, just ask. |
Bob Carlson |
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Other Responsibilities: Reef Tour I got my start in this hobby at the age of 7, when I won a goldfish at a local carnival. He didn't last too long, but I was hooked...I set up my first saltwater aquarium at the age of 13; it featured such "cutting edge" technology as the UGF (undergravel filter), dead coral skeletons, and dolomite gravel. At 15, I got my first job ever working for a LFS that happened to carry SW fish and supplies - a rarity in 1978. Over the years, I've kept almost every type of fish there is too keep; from African Cichlids to Killifish, from Piranhas to Discus; from Lionfish to Seahorses - you name it, I've probably had it. But my favorite has always been the Marine / Reef aquarium. Currently I have 2 systems running - a 225 gallon show tank, and a 37 gallon "almost-a-nano" setup. My wife Peggy and I have been married almost 23 years, and we have 3 teenage children. I work for a large pharmaceutical company in SLC. When I'm not messing with my tanks I enjoy bicycling, weightlifting, working on the house and watching football. (Oh, and making giant skimmers  )I've been a WMAS Member since 2007. This is my first time serving in the Presidency Council. I look forward to a great year ahead, working to make your WMAS experience the best that it can be. |
Camille Grimshaw |
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Other Responsibilities: I got my first fish aquarium when I was 10 and it was nothing more that a bunch of inbred guppies. I retired from large tanks and went with a Beta. Years later after much negotiation I talked my uncle out of his 135 gallon tank and kept it as fresh water, always hearing how neat it would be to see it as a salt water aquarium. I always heard how hard it was to keep a salt water aquarium so I never gave it much thought until I came across an ad for a salt water aquarium. I got it not having a clue what I was doing and pretty much crashed the tank in one month. Thankfully a month later I went on the Reef Tour and discovered the WMAS. I now maintain over 200 gallons of salt water aquariums and love every minute of it. My husband Bryan and I have one daughter and another baby expected in May. I just recently “retired” from education after five awesome years of teaching middle school where I taught art and special education. I now work from home as artist selling my artwork online and to retail stores around the country. |
Curtis Johnson |
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Other Responsibilities: Their tank really started looking good and we were without death for almost a year. I woke up one night to hear a roaring noise and smelling smoke. As soon as I got into the living room the tank exploded and put out the couch and bookshelf next to the tank, which were immersed in flames. This was the end of their saltwater journey, but years later I decided to start my own. I absolutely love this hobby and can’t get enough. I have taken 2 years of marine biology at Lane Community College and Hatfield Marine Science Center. I must admit that most of my learning has been done on my own. I tend to spend a good portion of my day researching marine life. I will serve the club to the best of my abilities and hope to help this ever-growing club move forward and be the best that it can. |
Shane Heil |
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Other Responsibilities: I've been involved in the salt water aquarium hobby for nearly 15 years! Like many of my good friends, what began as a hobby has ultimately become a lifestyle. I plan many of my activities - even vacations, to include or work around my reef keeping hobby. My first salt water aquarium was 55 gallons and I've kept many tanks of varying sizes since then. My showcase accomplishment (to date) was my 120 mixed reef. You can view pictures of it in the glory days here: http://www.utahreefs.com/tankofthemonth/ShaneHeil/tank_of_the_month.htm I have also kept many smaller tanks dedicated to certain species of fish, coral or invertebrates. My wife Heidi and I have a large family – two boys and four girls. We’re all very active in the community and competitive sports. If it involves a ball of some type, you will likely find one of our family members participating. When we find the time, we enjoy skiing together in the winter and boating together in the summer. The family is very supportive of my hobby and they enjoy seeing my tanks develop. It is always thrilling to me to see them gather around to see what new and exotic “thing” dad has brought home this time. They can each recognize most common fish and they will even reluctantly help with water changes if they don’t have practice. I have learned so much on my journey through the reef keeping hobby. I've learned more biology and chemistry through my aquariums than I ever gleaned in a classroom. I've learned to appreciate the reefs of the world and how dependent we are on their continued success. I've learned that a community of hobbyists can have far more success (and fun) than any single person on their own. I've learned patience and tolerance for the opinions of others. These lessons will be with me long after my tanks are dry. |
Jake Pehrson |
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Other Responsibilities: Web Master I have been a member of the club for quite awhile and have served as Vice President, Presidency Member, and Web Master. I'm the guy cooking bugers at the Member's BBQ (I have even been known to cook up some veggie burgers). When I was ~17 I started a company called Your Design Computers with a friend of mine. Your Design Computers morphed into a company called Design Technologies. I worked for myself until about 10 years ago I left the company and started working for a company called Omnicare as their "IT Director" or "Computer Guy". About that same time I stated a side company called Coral Planet with the intent to sell live rock. Coral Planet has "morphed" over the years from an Internet only company selling live rock->selling fish and corals->aquarium maintenance->Internet hard-goods->retail store->wholesale selling fish and corals->wholesale selling aqua-cultured corals, which is where it stands today. Coral Planet sells to a limited number of Pet Stores. We specialize in aquacultured corals. I have started and ran a few other businesses over the years (flowers, web design, restaurant review, sporting goods, financial, etc.), so I am an entrepreneur at heart. I also have a website called aquaticdatabase.com, check it out. I have been married 10 years to my wife Pepper. We have 4 children. Natalie, Nicole Coral, Jake, and Eli. I am lucky to have them as they all put up with me and my hobby. Some of my other hobbies are fishing, camping, boating (wake surfing), paintball, board/card games, retro computer games, scuba diving, hiking, backpacking, and others.... |
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Dion Richins
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Other Responsibilities: Thanks for the opportunity to serve on the presidency council for another year. It is my joy to serve on such an awesome and active council as this club has elected. I have found the pursuit of marine aquaria to be an absolute addiction. The pursuit to achieve environments that can support and sustain these precious life's is what drives me in the hobby. At this time we have a little over 600g of salt water, 80g of fresh water and a 300g pond. We breed and sell Bangaii Cardinals for the pure joy of it. We enjoy pursuing the knowledge necessary to achieve these things and in sharing all that we have learned and in helping any one interested. Besides this addiction, I have the most wonderful wife in the world. Alice and my 6 children (3 mine, 3 hers) and grandson are my life and the driving force in my existence. We have a small carpentry company that specializes in custom cabinets and remodeling. Welcome to our home away from home. Hope you enjoy your stay. |
Past Presidencies: |
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) of setting up a 240 gallon reef (which is getting closer
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