Steering Committee

The steering committee addresses and advances sustainable policies and works to generate support for rural communities in South Carolina.

David Harper

Founder & CEO,
Land in Common

David Harper is a land conservation professional with more than 30 years of experience working with landowners and land trusts to preserve over 7,000 acres of farmland, natural areas, cultural and historic sites. Formerly the Executive Director of the Pee Dee Land Trust, he has raised more than $7 million in grant funding for conservation projects. Through his consulting practice, Land In Common, David serves as a Land Legacy Advocate for landowners who wish to leave their land a legacy benefitting future generations.

bob reeder

CEO,
Reeder & Associates Consulting

Bob is known as a connector, creative community builder and resource developer After retiring from a 16-year tenure at Rural LISC Bob recently launched Reeder & Associates Consulting, where he will offer innovative tools and insights to community builders, community development corporations, state and local governments and municipalities.

At Rural LISC , he created and implemented the Arts and Culture-Based Creative Economic Development Grant through which nearly $1 million  was disbursed to over 50 communities as they developed  and completed arts and culture-based economic development projects.  He also served as a grant and site reviewer and panelist for ArtPlace America over four years.  In addition, he served as a resource panelist for the following organizations; the National Endowment for the Arts’ Community Institute for Rural Design (CIRD) and Our Town programs; USDA’s  Healthy Food Funding Initiative (HFFI);  the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum On Main Street; the National Governor’s Association’s publication, ‘Rural Prosperity Through The Arts & Creative Sector: A Rural Action Guide for Governors and States;’ and The Joseph P. Riley Center’s Mayors Design Fellowship.  In addition to currently serving on the Editorial Advisory Board of ‘The Journal of Appalachian Health,’ he is Advisory Co-Chair of the nationally recognized initiative ‘The Art of Community: Rural SC’ in his home state of South Carolina where he now resides.