Board of Directors
Monthly board meetings are held the 2nd Monday of each month at noon.
Dana Hobbs President
Dana wants to help restore downtown and make it an enjoyable and entertaining place for tourists and locals. I want to help businesses to be successful and profitable and enjoy having their business in Prosser. To revitalize downtown and make Prosser a successful and vibrant town. I believe HDP needs to create an atmosphere downtown that people would like to visit. Bi-Laws and City Ordinances need to be enforced. People need to take pride of ownership in their business. There needs to be an incentive for owners to rent vacant buildings.
Dakota Renz Vice-President
Dakota was born & raised here in this area and from an early age found servant & organizational leadership as one of his many passions. Dakota is both the Agent & Owner of Renz Farmers Insurance Agency in Historic Downtown Prosser. He graduated WSU-Pullman in 2018 as the recipient of the WSU President’s Award for Leadership and serves on the board as the President of the Prosser Chamber of Commerce. Dakota enjoys creating sustainable partnerships and coordinating highly anticipated & diverse community engagement events in addition to contributing to economic & tourism growth in our Prosser Community!
Kristi Mellema
I was born and raised on a vineyard just north of Prosser and have always had a strong sense of connection with the Prosser Community. My husband of over 34 years and I bought a few acres and moved back to Prosser in 2020. I am a RN by licensure and have been working at Prosser Memorial Health since June 2018 as the Chief Quality and Compliance Officer. My role at the hospital is in administration ensuring that our organization follows all necessary rules and regulations to ensure we are providing excellent and safe healthcare to our patients. Now being a permanent resident and working in Prosser I look forward to being able to contribute and preserve our town's history, to help preserve it and share it with our local communities and tourists. We must keep our downtown alive with thriving shops and community activities....Create a vibrant and prosperous downtown!
Katy McLaughlin
I am both personally and professionally, as a resident who enjoys the opportunities provided by living close to the downtown core and as an organization that benefits from being included in the Historic Downtown area. Having a strong, connected community core is important to me as part of my family's well-being, and having options and high quality of living was a big reason we moved to Prosser. As the librarian I've worked regularly with HDP over the years on programs that benefit both organizations, and I would like to continue to bring more people to the downtown including the library.Â
Julie Mercer
Bio coming soon!
Dean Benson
Dean first came to Prosser 28 years ago because of an employment opportunity. He loves the sunshine and found Prosser to be a great place to raise his family. Dean has stayed because of the nice people in our great, small town. Dean is currently serving on the Historic Downtown Prosser board because he wants to help improve the quality of downtown. He believes everyone should know that Prosser is filled with great community support.
Rachelle Worrell
Rachelle is deeply passionate about joining the Historic Downtown Prosser (HDP) board. This community is more than just a place; it’s a cherished part of my life. I’m eager to contribute my ideas and suggestions, knowing they’ll be valued. My vision is for a vibrant Prosser where history meets innovation in the downtown area. With a knack for event planning and a range of creative ideas, I’m excited to make a difference. I would be an asset to this board by being dedicated to community engagement and offering a forward-thinking approach that harmonizes historic preservation with modern amenities. My attendance at preservation board meetings in larger communities has provided valuable insights. I’ve honed networking skills through collaborations with local organizations, enhancing our partnership potential. My unwavering commitment ensures the long-term success of downtown Prosser.
John Breeze
I was born in Coeur d'Alene, ID, and moved to Prosser in 1972 on my birthday. I turned 8 years old in Prosser and have loved it ever since. I started my life here in a house built in 1902, which began my love for historical architecture. After Prosser High School class of 82, I joined the Army. I served my country for 8 years, traveling the World. I was fortunate to get stationed in South Korea, and the building that I still remember fondly is a 6th-century temple. It was amazing how it was put together with ¾ in wooden pegs. I found my way back to Prosser after leaving the Army. Currently, I am the kitchen manager at the Prosser Senior Center, Junior Vice Commander for the Prosser VFW, and Volunteer for the Lower Valley Honor Guard. I enjoy meeting new people and volunteering where needed. I have always been a student of history. I love to be on the board to continue learning about my community’s history.
Esther Leep
I own and operate Home on 6th. I will be an asset to this board because I have lots of retail, decorating, and beautification experience. I have a vested interest in the HDP businesses. Over the next five years, my goal in this position is to focus on the beautification of downtown and more fine-tuned promotion events.