Committee Team
Kevin Suzuki, Chairman
Kevin graduated from the University of Montana in 1980 with a BS in Forestry with an emphasis in Rangeland Management and retired from the Forest Service in 2017 after 44 years. Kevin worked first as a Forestry technician on the Bitterroot National Forest, and then landed his first Range Conservationist job as a Technician on the Wise River District of the Beaverhead National Forest. In 1983 he moved to the Madison Ranger District here in Ennis. He started as a Range Technician and advanced to supervisory rangeland management specialist where he worked until his retirement. He managed the rangeland/grazing administration and noxious weed programs for the Madison District during those years as well as the District’s minerals, lands, sensitive plant, roads and facilities programs. Kevin found time to volunteer on the Ennis Ambulance service for 28 years and boy scouts for 8 years. Kevin loves the outdoors and enjoys hiking, photography, fishing, hunting and sharing his knowledge of the diverse plant species and communities surrounding the Madison Valley. He has been married to his wife Kaye for 35 years and they have two grown children, Travis and Elisabeth.
Melissa Griffiths, Project Coordinator
Melissa joined the Weed Committee in 2006. She began her career working as a wildlife biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. Melissa has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a certificate in Natural Resource Management. She and her husband Tim have 2 wonderful children and feel fortunate to be able to raise them in Montana.
Brett Owens
Brett Owens ranches on North Meadow Creek. He grew up on the ranch that his grandparents and then his parents made a living on. After graduating from MSU, Brett joined the United States Air Force. In 2007, after 20 years, he retired and returned to take over the family ranch. He and his wife Rita have seen an exponential increase in weeds as the local population has grown. He values controlling noxious weeds through a variety of methods as early as possible.
Donna Crumley
Donna Crumley is retired after 49 years in banking but is still active in ranching with her husband John. We have 3 daughters, 13 Grandchildren and 2 adorable Great Granddaughters born two days apart. Life is good.
Ron Schott
Ron is a Montana native who graduated from the University of Montana in 1970 with degrees in range management and wildlife biology. He retired from the US Forest Service after 35 years working mainly in central and southwest Montana. He volunteered for 20 years with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, serving as a committee member, state chairman for 5 years and Montana Project Advisory Committee for 8 years. Ron has been a member of the Weed Committee since its beginning in 1999.
Mark Stannard
Mark Stannard is a native Montanan. He graduated from MSU with a degree in soil science and followed that with a masters degree in weed science. His early working career was spent with the SCS, where he specialized in irrigation water management and wind erosion control. The latter part of his career was spent in Pullman, Washington, where he ran a plant materials center and had adjunct faculty status in the WSU Crop & Soil Science department. During his time at WSU, he pursued a PhD in weed science, where he studied the effect of native grasses on the yellow starthistle.
He lives in Ennis. He loves to “trek”, ski, and enjoy the great outdoors.
Tom Solomon, MVRG Representative
Tom grew up moving around the world with his Navy father/family settling in Southern California for high-school. He graduated with a degree in Biology from the University of California, Irvine! After 40 years working in the automotive industry he retired to Montana in January of 2017 having spent time in McAllister since 2007 with his wife Kim at their place on North Meadow Creek Road.
During his work life, he spent 20 years serving on the Torrance/South Bay YMCA board of managers working on marketing, fund raising and board governance. Tom joined the MVRG board of directors in 2021.
“Since moving to Montana and owning property in this beautiful valley I have been anxious to be a good steward of the land and help others do the same where I can.
I enjoy caring for our property, hosting our 4 children and 7 grandchildren (they each have their own muck rake), skiing, fishing, horse back riding and more!”