Charlotte Hanes

Mrs. Hanes is president and CEO of River Ridge Cattle Co., a 1,200 acre farm located along the New River in southwest Virginia’s Grayson County specializing in naturally raised beef. The farm serves as a demonstration of livestock production for the region’s cattle farmers and is an on-going research partner with Virginia Tech. She is currently working with Grayson LandCare to develop “Grayson Natural, from Pasture to Plate,” to bring the region’s value added beef to market. Mrs. Hanes is a strong advocate of proper land stewardship and conservation easements. In 2008, she won Virginia’s Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award Gold Medal for the New River Conservation project. Mrs. Hanes is a founder of Grayson LandCare, a grassroots movement of farmers, landowners, and residents addressing economic and environmental problems by promoting sustainable land and water management in Grayson County and southwest Virginia. She is a member of Rachel’s Network, a national organization dedicated to creating a network of women conservation funders and to be an influential voice for the environment. In 2008, Mrs. Hanes accepted a position as a charter member of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s Honorary Board of Directors. Additionally, she has served on boards of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, Southeastern Center of Contemporary Art, Piedmont Craftsmen, National Committee for the New River, New River Community Partners, Save Our State, Inc., and National Outward Bound Advisory Board., and Wake Forest University’s Board of Visitors for the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She resides in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with her husband.