James River Basin Partnership appoints new director

The James River Basin Partnership has a new executive director following the retirement of the nonprofit’s four-year leader.

Brent Stock, project manager for the organization, was promoted to the top role via unanimous vote at the partnership’s Nov. 21 board meeting, according to a news release. He succeeds Tiffany Frey, who retired in June. Retired Springfield Deputy City Manager Tim Smith was executive director on an interim basis.

“Brent’s strong environmental ethic and love of the outdoors provides his inspiration to take a more active role in protecting water quality,” Smith said in the release.

Stock has worked at the partnership since 2015.

The partnership is responsible for leading water quality protection and advocacy efforts for the James River Basin, an area in southwest Missouri comprising over 931,000 acres of land, more than 300 river miles and some 560 springs, according to the organization’s website.

James River Basin Partnership Membership and Communications Manager Todd Wilkinson said the nonprofit has an operational budget of $240,000, two full-time employees and two contract employees. Founded in 1997 as a volunteer committee of the Southwest Missouri Resource Conservation and Development Council, the partnership became autonomous in 1999, according to the release.