Our Executive Board
Cheryl Farmer
President, Head of International Relations Committee
Cheryl is a physician who recently retired from her private practice in general Internal Medicine with Doctors Jean Scholl and Pamela Shore. She was on staff at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. A Michigan native, Cheryl has lived in Ypsilanti more than 30 years and served as the Mayor of Ypsilanti for 12 of those years. She is the recent Past President of the Ypsilanti Rotary Club. In addition, she has been active with the Washtenaw County Medical Society (Past President), the Michigan State Medical Society, Washtenaw NOW (current President) and Physicians for the Prevention of Gun Violence. She loves her 1855 home in Ypsilanti’s Historic District, gardening, sailing and hot cars.
Taryn Willis
Immediate Past President, Head of the Membership Committee, Head of Fund Raising Committee
Taryn Willis is from Ypsilanti, Michigan, and has worked for Ypsilanti Community Schools for the last three years as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator. She is also a small business owner of a print shop called Ypsilanti Marketing and Print Company in downtown Ypsilanti on Michigan Avenue. A graduate of Ann Arbor Huron High School class of 1996, Taryn graduated from Eastern Michigan University and majored in Communications with a minor in English American Literature. She went on to get her Master’s in Educational Leadership from the Concordia University Ann Arbor and also began her Master’s in Business Administration at Concordia University Chicago. Taryn has been an active member of her community by participating in various boards and projects including Growing Hope Executive Board, current President of the Ypsilanti Rotary Club, and Girl’s Varsity Tennis Coach at Ypsilanti Community High School for the last three years. With over 15 years in event planning and marketing for major non-profit organizations, including Eastern Michigan University Office of Alumni Relations, the Detroit Institute of Arts Development Department, United Cerebral Palsy she is now moving into the field of education. Working for Ypsilanti Community Schools has allowed her to continue to plan significant community events marketing the school district. She has created two major annual events for YCS-Jazz in the Parking Lot and the Back to School Bash. Jazz in the Parking Lot brings over 1,000 community members to Shadford Field for a night of jazz, and the Back to School Bash brings over 2,200 people to Prospect Park celebrating the return of school. Unfortunately, the 2020 events were postponed due to the current pandemic. In her free time, Taryn enjoys spending time with her family and traveling! Taryn is married to Travis Willis, and they have one-year-old Makenzie Rainbow and newborn Harlem Oneal. She also has a 19 year-old son Richard who attends Eastern Michigan University and a 13-year-old stepson Travis. Taryn has also been a stylist at Michael Kors for over three years and enjoys anything fashion!
Scott Bland
Treasurer
Maria Skrzynski
Secretary
Maria Skrzynski is an Office Manager and Marketing Coordinator for Ypsi Real and Destination Ann Arbor. Originally from Jackson, Michigan, she attended Eastern Michigan University where she received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Gender Studies. Maria moved to Ypsilanti in 2014 and has developed a sincere passion for her community. She has worked on several local projects, events, and initiatives including the annual Ypsi Pride and Community Cleanup Day. Maria is the organizer of the Meetup.com group, Ypsilanti 20s and 30s, and is actively planning social events in the Ypsilanti area for young professionals. Maria joined Rotary in 2020, and is looking forward to more opportunities to become involved within the Ypsilanti community.
Les Heddle
Director
People and projects have always been a passion in my life. Being an Edward Jones financial advisor is a perfect way to fulfill that passion while providing financial guidance and a strategy for a client’s future.
Pam and I are long time Ypsilanti community residents. I graduated from Ypsilanti Public Schools and EMU. A few years into the design business, I took up the challenge to start franchises for Domino’s Pizza in central Ohio. After getting the area established, we returned to Ypsilanti when an opportunity arose to become the merchandise manager at a major furniture store in Ann Arbor. Soon, I realized I missed the deeper relationships and project nature of the design side of that industry, and we reopened our design business. Finally, Edward Jones has given me an opportunity to extend my passion for people and a new challenge, as well.
Pam and I enjoy traveling, camping, boating, mountain biking and of course, people. Most of all, we enjoy spending time with our four children, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Jim Nelson
Jim Nelson has lived in Ypsilanti his entire life and he has practiced law for 53 years. He became a member of the Ypsilanti Rotary Club in 1971, at the time, one could only be accepted if there was an opening in a specific category. This meant there would only be one member from a given occupation, and the total membership was at least 3 or 4 times the size of the current club. Jim has served as President and been on the board several times. Together, with his wife Jean, they have two sons; Mark who serves as Magistrate and Court Administrator of 14B District Court and Peter who retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer after 23 years.
Al Rudisill
Dr. Alvin Rudisill is a former Dean of the College of Engineering & Technology at Eastern Michigan University. He was hired by EMU in 1980 to start the College and in the ten years he served as Dean, enrollment rose to 2,500 students, 18 new undergraduate and graduate programs were added including a doctoral level program, and the Technology Services Center was initiated which provides non-credit training for business and industry throughout the United States. After his retirement from EMU in 1990 Al started a business called Association Management Resources that managed fifteen state and national non-profit associations including the "Association for Technology, Management and Applied Engineering." ATMAE provides accreditation for bachelors, masters and doctorial level programs and Al served as the ATMAE Executive Director for 20 years. Al also served as the President of the Ypsilanti Historical Society for 18 years and the YHS Board renamed the YHS Archives the Rudisill, Fletcher, White Archives. Al is a long time member of the Ypsilanti Rotary Club, has served the Club as President, and is currently serving as the President of the Ypsilanti Rotary Club Foundation.
