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President - Tom Aguilar                 Placer County

Born and raised in Placer County, Mr. Aguilar is retired from Reynolds Metals Co. since 1997.  He is a PNSSNS founding member and former Treasurer.  He is also founding member of the Mountain Mandarin Growers and serves as Treasurer.  Currently, he owns and operates Mandarin Hill Orchards.  Mr. Aguilar is married with 2 daughters.

Vice President - Ed Sills                Sutter County

Mr. Sills grows rice, popcorn, wheat, oats, beans, and almonds organically on approximately 2400 acres in Pleasant Grove, California. Mr. Sills has served as Vice-President and Board Member of the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) organization and was a member of the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Public Advisory Committee.  He was named California Conservation Farmer of the Year by the National Endowment for Soil and Water Conservation in 1989.  Mr. Sills has testified before several congressional hearings on the topic of Sustainable Agriculture.  He has been a cooperator on several University of California research projects on his farm, including rice straw incorporation, green manures, weed ecology, and beneficial insects.  Mr. Sills is married with 3 children.

Treasurer - Bonnie Ferreira           Placer County

Mrs. Ferreira is a long time resident of Placer County starting the Auburn Ravine Ranch Inc. in 1967.  She is a cattle rancher and farms rice and hay.  Mrs. Ferreira is a PNSSNS founding member and former Director representing Placer County.  Currently, she is a member of the Tahoe Cattlemen’s Association, Placer Nevada Cattlewomen Association, and the California State Cattlewomen.  In 1980 she served as president of the Placer Nevada Cattlewomen Association.  Mrs. Ferreira is married with 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

Secretary - Jim Gates                 Nevada County

Born and raised in Rough & Ready, California, Mr. Gates has been a cattle rancher all his life.  He graduated from University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business.  He owns and operates Nevada County Free Range Beef.  Mr. Gates serves on the NID Drought Board, Farm Bureau Livestock Committee, and the Cattlemen’s Association Livestock Committee.  The Union (newspaper) 23rd Annual Home and Garden Show proclaimed Mr. Gates the 2008 “Sustainable Rancher of the Year.”  He is featured on “You Tube” with a video entitled “Meat Jim”. 

Director - Gerald Bushore                Nevada County

For over 30 years, Mr. Bushore has been a real estate broker and certified general appraiser throughout California specializing in nonprofits.  In 2006, Mr. Bushore purchased one of the three original Milhous brothers’ ranches in northwest Nevada County and is turning it back into a working ranch complete with vineyards.  He is founder of the National Wild Horse, Burro and Animal Sanctuary.  Recently he was appointed by the Board of Supervisors as a trustee of the Nevada County Cemetery District and its 23 historical cemeteries.  Mr. Bushore is married with a son and daughter.

Director - Frank Correia                    Placer County

A founding PNSSNS member, Mr. Correia was a plumber for 32 years and a cattleman all his life.  A long time resident of Pleasant Grove, he formed the Correia Livestock Company in 1972.  Mr. Correia is past president of the Livermore Farm Bureau and served as past director for the Alameda County and Placer County Farm Bureaus.  In 2005, The Furrow featured Mr. Correia and his son, David in an article entitled, “A Perfect Circle, The Correias Micro-manage Water and Cattle for Top Performance.”  Mr. Correia is married with 3 sons, a daughter, and 9 grandchildren.

Director - Alan Lauppe                 North Sacramento County

Born in Sacramento and raised in Sutter County, Mr. Lauppe is owner and operator of El Rio Farms for 30 years.  He is a founding member and former Vice President of PNSSNS.  Recently, his land was put in eminent domain and the state is building a levee where his home and farmland once stood.  He continues to farm for Natomas Basin Conservancy.  He is a diversified farmer growing rice and row crops.  Mr. Lauppe is married with 3 sons and a daughter.

Founder and
Former President - Kirk Scilacci                   Placer County

Born in San Francisco and raised in Walnut Creek, Mr. Scilacci has been self-employed most of his life.  In 1982 he started up the Scilacci Farming Company, predominantly a rice growing business.  Recently, he formed DLX Ranches, a cattle ranching operation located in Baker City, Oregon.  Mr. Scilacci is married with a son and daughter.

Only Paid Employee (part-time)
Linda Watanabe                 

As secretary, Linda conducts all administrative business of the organization.  As editor of the “Subwatershed News,” she writes the bi-annual newsletter as well as info flyers when needed.  She coordinates monthly board meetings and the annual PNSSNS membership meeting.  It has been said that the PNSSNS meetings are the “best” meetings to attend because Linda’s ‘healthy chocolate chip cookies’ are a standing bribe for all who would attend.  Linda is married with two sons.