The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) elected three new board members at its annual business meeting at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island Wednesday, Dec. 4. They include Jim Birmingham, Marvell Bradley, and Hank Spire, who will serve three-year terms on the board, supporting the refuge conservation mission.
Birmingham has more than 50 years of experience in the railroad industry. He owns two Colorado-based businesses: Hudson Terminal Rail Services, a railcar storage switching facility; and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad, a family-owned attraction since 1967, where visitors can view the gold-mining district of Cripple Creek, Colo., on steam engines from the 1900s. Birmingham spends his off-island time at the railroad in Cripple Creek, repairing engines, completing trackwork, and engineering.
He purchased his first home on Sanibel in 2012 after many years spent visiting the area and making countless memories with his family. Now, Birmingham escapes the Colorado cold by staying on the island four to six months of the year. He is married with three children, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
The owner of a car collection featuring pre-war and muscle cars, Birmingham holds many interests. He is an avid outdoorsman who loves boating, fishing, and spending time out in nature. He values being active in his community and volunteered for the Cripple Creek Fire Department for many years. Birmingham finds DDWS conservation efforts vitally important and looks forward to serving on the board.
Bradley is a Florida native with deep roots in the Sanibel community. He attended Rabbit Road preschool and The Sanibel School in his youth, followed by graduating from South Fort Myers High. From age 3, Bradley has been an integral part of the community, strongly shaping his sense of connection and commitment. These values have been a hallmark of his personal and professional life as he fosters enduring relationships and forges connections with those around him .
In 2021, following service in the pharmaceutical industry, Bradley made a career transition into real estate, representing the Pfeifer Realty Group of Sanibel. Most recently, he was chosen by the Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) to join a select group of Sanibel and Captiva residents for its 2024 Leadership Sanibel-Captiva program. Bradley gained in-depth knowledge of how the island functions, with material covering organizations, non-profits, and city departments to prepare him for leadership roles as current leaders retire.
Bradley enjoys spending quality time with his wife Ashleigh and their daughter Gianna, reflecting the balance he seeks in his personal and professional life.
Spire, of Lancaster, Penn., first visited Sanibel with his parents in the 1950s. Since then, he has kept close ties to the island, where various family members have visited or lived since his initial visit. He looks forward to his work with the board as he helps to preserve the island he loves.
Spire has worn served many positions in a professional career that has taken him across the country. As an ordained pastor, he has served parishes in Colorado, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. He has also stepped into the roles of teacher, coach, administrator, and head of school at several independent boarding schools in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Upon retirement from education, Spire became vice president of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels.
Spire has years of experience working in the non-profit sector. While in St Michaels, he began a 27-year volunteer affiliation as president of a private family foundation. He has served on boards of numerous nonprofits, including several with an emphasis on conservation and land preservation.
“Each of these men brings a unique and important element of experience and individual enthusiasm to the society board, and we’re fortunate to have them join us,” said board president Bill Harkey. “Jim and Hank bring life and leadership experience. Marvell brings youthful eagerness and the willingness to learn and contribute.”
ABOUT DDWS
As a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, DDWS works to support J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge’s mission of conservation, wildlife and habitat protection, research, and public education through charitable donations and Refuge Nature Shop profits. To support DDWS and the refuge with a tax-deductible gift, visit dingdarlingsociety.org or Ann-Marie Wildman at 239-789-8991 or [email protected].
