They’ve helped preserve more York County property than anyone. Now there’s a new leader
The largest land preservation group in the Rock Hill region soon will have a new leader.
Steve Hamilton still step down as executive director of Nation Ford Land Trust at the end of the year. Board member Jennifer McAdams will replace him.
Nation Ford works with property owners who want to set land aside and limit or fully protect it from future development. The Fort Mill-based land trust also works with local governments to put properties under conservation easements. Prior land trust projects include sites now part of the Catawba Nation, the Anne Springs Close Greenway, Historic Brattonsville, Catawba Bend Preserve and Kings Mountain State Park.
Hamilton joined the land trust in 2004, two years after completing consecutive terms as mayor in Tega Cay. He became executive director in 2019. The land trust had a little more than 10,000 acres preserved when he started. Now it has about 16,000 acres.
“His leadership has been instrumental in guiding Nation Ford Land Trust’s growth and success,” said board chair Janice Chism.
As he turns 70, Hamilton wants to spend more time traveling, golfing, painting and clay shooting.
“I am ready to spend more time with family and pursue personal interests,” he said.
The Nation Ford board typically has current or past elected officials on it. Others are business organization leaders or civic workers in community planning. McAdams is no exception.
A Winthrop graduate, she has more than two decades or municipal and nonprofit work experience. At the city of Rock Hill he’s led urban development and planning projects. She also leads planning at Catawba Nation. She was named to the land trust board last year.
McAdams wants to build on Hamilton’s legacy of creating partnerships to conserve land, she said.
“I’m excited to contribute to preserving our most finite resource, land, for future generations to enjoy,” she said.
This story was originally published November 18, 2024 at 1:23 PM.
