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.
Katy McLaughlin Vice President
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
Kristi Mellema Secretary
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!
Marisa Morrison Treasure
Marisa is a proud Prosser native who returned to the town after nearly 15 years, bringing their family back to the community they love. She appreciates that Prosser retains its wholesome charm. Marisa has a unique skill set from volunteering with the Family Readiness Group during their husband's 11 years of military service. They helped with fundraising and event planning to support military families. Marisa believes Historic Downtown Prosser’s priorities in the next five years should focus on attracting more interest while preserving the town’s historic character and unique identity.
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!
Julie Mercer
With deep roots in the community, having called Historic Downtown Prosser home for 150 years, I bring a passion for fostering local success and a wealth of experience to the Board of Directors. My professional career has been dedicated to community economic development, including collaboration with the Main Street state manager and serving in a similar capacity with the City of Settlement. On a personal level, I have hands-on experience revitalizing key landmarks, such as renovating the Princess Theatre and redeveloping the Historic Mercer Building. With this extensive background and a desire to help others succeed, I am eager to contribute to the continued growth and prosperity of Historic 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.
Alan Bonney
Alan is a visionary who sees Prosser as a hidden gem and is eager to promote it as a top destination. With extensive experience in event promotion and operations, he takes pride in his leadership skills and ability to envision successful projects. Alan sees Historic Downtown Prosser’s priorities over the next five years as a focus on making the town a more welcoming place for residents and visitors.
Sue Derryberry
Sue is passionate about Prosser and is dedicated to helping keep its downtown area welcoming and thriving. With previous experience as a board member, she is a team player committed to accomplishing goals. Sue believes Historic Downtown Prosser’s priorities over the next five years should include maintaining the charm and welcoming atmosphere of downtown and continuing events that attract shoppers and strengthen community partnerships.