Eric Stevens
PRESIDENT
Eric Stevens, Board President of the Home Trust of Ouray County (HTOC) retired in 2023 from a 45-year
career leading and consulting with nonprofit organizations. His leadership roles have included
serving as Executive Director (or CEO) for three nonprofit organizations over a period of 35 years.
Eric grew up in New York City, where he attended Queens College, majoring in economics. He then
attended the MBA program at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and later earned Master’s Degrees
in Early Child Education at Central Washington State University; and Organizational Leadership at the Leadership Institute of Seattle (LIOS).
Eric moved to Ridgway, Colorado in 2023. His daughter, Jessica, lives in Telluride. Eric is a lover of wilderness and the outdoors and loves living here on the Western Slope.
Craig Spearman
SECRETARY
Craig has bounced around the Western Slope for 15 years — living in Durango, Gunnison, Delta, and Montrose. This is Craig’s 9th year teaching high school humanities at Ridgway Secondary School. Craig has experienced Colorado’s housing crisis first-hand, especially as it pertains to teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who struggle to live in mountain towns. Like most people who migrated to Colorado from the flatlands, Craig spends as much time in the mountains with his wife, two young children, and their dog.
Atlee Valentine Pope
BOARD MEMBER
Atlee Valentine Pope is CEO of Blue Canyon Partners, a global strategy consulting firm she co-founded and has led for more than 25 years. She currently serves as Lead Director of Gibraltar Industries (NASDAQ: ROCK) and as a member of the advisory board of a U.K.-based private company. Atlee earned her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. After raising their family in the Chicago area, Atlee and her husband, Rick, established roots in Ridgway in 2022 and are committed to supporting the long-term vitality of the Ouray County community.
Marc Hitchcox
BOARD MEMBER
Marc Hitchcox has lived in Ouray since 1994. He helped create the first GIS system for the County, ran a landscaping company, and worked for a local Landscape Architect and an Engineer. He currently operates Ouray T-shirts and Momentos and has been a Realtor for the past 15 years.
Some of his past service activities include coaching middle school soccer, teaching Tai Chi, driving the Ouray County EMS ambulance, sitting on the Board of the Wright Opera House, helping folks with Smartphones at the Montrose Senior Center, and serving as a City of Ouray Councilmember.
When not otherwise busy, you can find him disc golfing, playing foosball, jeeping, gardening, or traveling, which is his favorite thing to do and talk about.
Jake Niece
BOARD MEMBER | OURAY COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Jake is a lifelong Coloradan who lived the housing crisis for most of his adult life until he built his home in 2018 with an income qualified Rural Development loan. He considers himself lucky to have secured a permanent home in Ridgway, and wishes to use his position as a homeowner to expand affordable housing availability in Ouray County. Niece is a founding board member of the Home Trust.
Jenny Hart
BOARD MEMBER | CITY OF OURAY COUNCIL MEMBER
Jenny Hart serves on the Ouray City Council and acts as the Council liaison to the Home Trust of Ouray County. A retired educator, dedicated volunteer, and avid hiker, Jenny has been actively involved in affordable housing efforts throughout Ouray County for the past five years. She is a strong advocate for creating housing opportunities that allow local residents to live and thrive in the communities they serve. Jenny believes deeply in the Home Trust model and its ability to provide lasting, community-driven housing solutions for current and future generations.
Preston Neill
BOARD MEMBER | TOWN OF RIDGWAY MANAGER
Preston is the Town Manager for the Town of Ridgway and has served in the role since the beginning of 2020. He has a Master of Public Administration degree from Arizona State University, and has over 10 years of experience working in municipal government. He spent a large part of his upbringing on the Western Slope, specifically in Ridgway, and is thrilled to be a full-time member of Ridgway’s engaged and friendly community. Preston recognizes the importance of addressing housing affordability as it’s an avenue for lifting people out of poverty and increasing economic mobility.