Mary is a seasoned land development professional and 7th generation Arkansan based in Fayetteville. Her expertise lies in overseeing and facilitating significant residential and commercial projects throughout the Southeast with a current focus on the Northwest Arkansas region. Mary has 18 years of experience in both private sector real estate development and public sector planning and project management. She received a BA in History and Historic Preservation at the College of Charleston and an MA in Historic Preservation / Community Planning at Savannah College of Art and Design. Mary currently works as the Land Acquisition Director for Buffington Homes of Arkansas, previously having worked in Land Acquisition and Entitlement at Lennar as well as Long Range Planning at the City of Fayetteville, With a steadfast commitment to excellence, she focuses on leveraging expertise in entitlement processes to ensure seamless development operations through transparent collaboration with local, state and federal stakeholders to create developments. Mary’s vision for the communities Buffington creates in Northwest Arkansas focused on native habitat restoration, balanced infrastructure growth and low impact development that preserves what makes this region unique. Residing in Fayetteville, Mary continues to contribute significantly to the growth and development of Northwest Arkansas, leveraging her extensive experience and professional network to bring visionary projects focused on responsible growth to fruition.

For 17 years, Jerry Martin has been dedicated to addressing municipalities' most pressing water and wastewater process concerns. His deep passion for process design and the nuances of treatment methods drives him to work closely with clients, advancing their facilities to new heights. Jerry's background in operation and maintenance, gained during his service as a machinist mate in the Navy, allows him to approach projects from both a practical and technical perspective. This dual insight enables him to create designs that enhance efficiencies and prioritize operator safety. Jerry's designs are crafted with the long-term needs of communities in mind, utilizing sustainable solutions. His commitment to the water and wastewater industry in Arkansas is further solidified by his influential roles and contributions. Since May 2020, Jerry has served on the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Public Health Advisory Board, promoting community well-being through education, research, and service. Additionally, Jerry serves on the Water Environment Federation Membership Committee, as the Secretary for the Arkansas Water Conference, Past President and Government Affairs Chair for the Arkansas Water Environment Association. As Garver’s Arkansas Water Team Leader, Jerry works closely with all of Garver’s resources and leverages his extensive skills and knowledge to drive project objectives forward successfully. He ensures that the necessary resources are allocated to meet these objectives that guarantees responsive and top-tier service from start to finish.

Brad Hammond is the Area Leader for the Northwest Arkansas and Joplin offices of Olsson, a nationally recognized engineering and design firm. He is currently licensed as a Professional Engineer in the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Mr. Hammond graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) degree in 1992 and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1994. He joined the engineering firm of McGoodwin, Williams and Yates in 1992 and served as president and chief financial officer of the firm from 2005 until the acquisition with Olsson in 2018. During his career, Mr. Hammond has been involved in a variety of infrastructure projects, with an emphasis on water/wastewater planning and design, including master planning, water treatment and distribution systems, and wastewater collection and treatment facilities. Active in professional and technical societies, Mr. Hammond has served as both President and National Director of the Arkansas Society of Professional Engineers (ASPE), and he was named the Young Engineer of the Year in 1998 and Engineer of the Year in 2008 by ASPE. He also served as President of the Board of Directors for the American Council of Engineering Companies of Arkansas (ACEC/A), and he is currently serving as the ACEC National PAC Co-Champion for Arkansas. In addition, he served as Chair of the Southwest Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) from 2021-2022 and was awarded the George Warren Fuller Award from AWWA in 2023 for distinguished service and leadership in the water industry. Mr. Hammond has been an active volunteer at his alma mater, the University of Arkansas, for many years. He currently serves in the Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering after being inducted in 2012. Since 2001, he has also served as a graduate advisor for the University of Arkansas chapter of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI.) He and his wife, Allison, have two sons and one daughter, and most of his spare time is devoted to them.

Megan Brown is the Director of Operations at ULI Northwest Arkansas, where she supports programs and initiatives focused on shaping thoughtful growth and development in the region. With nearly six years in Northwest Arkansas, Megan is committed to making a real impact on the future of the place she calls home. Her work includes leading the Small Cities Initiative, which helps rural and smaller communities access resources and strategies for smart, sustainable development.

William P. Burckart is the owner of Burckart Construction, Inc., a family-founded company established in 1953 by his father, John C. Burckart. A lifelong resident of Bentonville, Arkansas, William has spent the past 38 years building homes and communities across the Bentonville metropolitan area. With a background in architecture, business, and finance, William has held multiple professional licenses throughout his career, including Series 7, 63, insurance, and real estate licenses. He currently holds both residential and commercial building licenses. His contributions to affordable housing were recognized in 1991 with a special award from HUD, presented by then-Secretary Jack Kemp, for developing Bentonville’s first RZL neighborhood. A dedicated advocate for the housing industry, William has served as president of the local, regional, and Arkansas State Home Builders Associations. He is a past Director of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a former member of its national affordable housing legislative affairs committee. During his tenure as state president, he played a key role in shaping housing policy, helping to pass builder licensing requirements and impact fee legislation through collaboration with state legislators and stakeholders. In addition to his work in construction and housing policy, William has served on the Bentonville City Council since 2008 and was a member of the city’s airport board for nine years. He was also a founding member of the Genesis Committee that helped launch the Bentonville Schools Ignite program—an educational initiative that started with building trades and has expanded to 10 areas of study. Today, William continues to focus on developing missing middle and workforce housing projects in Bentonville and surrounding communities. He remains actively involved in efforts to create sustainable, inclusive growth through collaboration and community-driven solutions. Married for 31 years, William is a proud father of two and grandfather of two.

Dan specializes in land brokerage and multifamily properties. Dan has been a commercial real estate broker since 2009 when he gained experience in every asset type handling dispositions for multiple lenders during the recession in the Raleigh-Durham market. Dan’s experience with Northwest Arkansas' land entitlement, zoning, utilities, floodplains, multifamily, and residential density is a huge benefit to his clients. His CCIM designation, Master of Real Estate Development degree, varied experience, and ability to leverage technology help Dan add value to client development projects and investment properties. Dan relocated to Northwest Arkansas in 2020 and joined the Colliers Team. Prior to entering real estate brokerage Dan was an Armored Cavalry Officer in the U.S. Army for 13 years.

Leif Kindberg is the Executive Director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership (IRWP) where he works with a great team to implement voluntary conservation work in partnership with landowners, businesses, municipalities, and others to promote and improve water quality of the Illinois River, economic development, and quality of life in the watershed. Prior to joining IRWP, Leif worked with Tetra Tech Inc, a leading provider of water consulting and engineering services. Most recently he lived in Tanzania and co-led an integrated water resources management program in two of the country’s largest river basins to improve health, water resources management, natural resources conservation, and better use of hydrological data. Leif has a BA in Political Science from California State University Long Beach and MBA from the George Washington University. He grew up on a small farm in the Buffalo River watershed.

Rob is focused on continuing to improve NWA’s infrastructure—from water quality and quantity to highways to public transportation to recycling and waste disposal—frequently partnering with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission and Northwest Arkansas National Airport. And during his time off? You can catch the Springdale dweller on one of NWA’s many bike paths.

Mike Neil is the facility manager at the Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority (NACA). He has worked at NACA since 2012 and became the facility manager in 2017. Mike graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2009 with a bachelors in crop, soil and water science and has worked in wastewater ever since.

Stacie Wassell currently serves as the Associate Director of the Office of Water Quality at E&E’s Division of Environmental Quality. Stacie earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Science in Biology from the University of Arkansas Little Rock. She earned a Juris Doctorate from the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law. Before attending law school, Stacie gained valuable experience working in a municipal wastewater treatment plant laboratory and the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. Since joining E&E, she has served in the E&E Office of Chief Counsel and the DEQ Office of Water Quality. Stacie has been a licensed wastewater operator since 1995 and maintains a steadfast dedication to safeguarding Arkansas’s environment and natural resources.

Lance Jones is the Director of the Engineering Section for the Arkansas Department of Health which oversees the water and wastewater utilities across the State. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (BSChE) and joined the Arkansas Department of Health in 1992. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer and has worked in multiple roles with the Agency’s drinking water and wastewater oversight programs including 10 years as Chief Engineer where he was responsible for review and approval of major water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Throughout his career, Lance has focused on ensuring the design and operation of water utilities protect public health while providing the infrastructure needs to sustain and grow the communities they serve. He currently serves as the Executive Secretary of the Arkansas Drinking Water Advisory and Operator Licensing Committee and on the Arkansas Water and Wastewater Advisory Committee.