Meet Josiah Pierce

JO ON PIERCE TREE FARM IN BALDWIN, MAINE

 Breakwater grandparent, committed conservationist, businessman, and the new Chair of our Board of Trustees 

When Jo’s grandchildren started their Breakwater experience, Jo made sure to get involved. He shared school drop off and pick up duties and he came to school events. When asked to become involved at the Board level, Jo said yes - if it supports his grandchildren, the answer is always yes. 

Josiah (Jo) Pierce was born in New York City and grew up there back in a time when he could roller skate to museums on a Saturday morning and get in for free. He spent most of his working life in the manufacturing jewelry business in Rhode Island. In 1994 he and his wife, Kathy, moved to the old family farm in West Baldwin, Maine. There he committed himself to taking care of his parents for the last ten years of their lives. That experience has been a major influence on his life.

Jo is the sixth generation of his family to own the farm. His son, Dan, built a house on family land in Baldwin where he and his wife Gwen live with their two Breakwater children Emily and Noah.

Jo is involved in town affairs in Baldwin. He has been on the Planning Board for over twenty years and he served his local school board for ten years, eight as the Chair. He serves on the library board and is also President of the Baldwin Historical Society.

Jo has owned woodlots in Baldwin for thirty five years and that is where his passion lies. People tease him that he has named every tree on his land. Jo and Kathy had the quality of their forestry work recognized nationally in 2007 by the American Tree Farm System. He has chaired the Maine Tree Farm Committee and been President of the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine.

As are all of our Board members, Jo is deeply committed to Breakwater's Mission and values, and has fully engaged himself in the Breakwater community. We sincerely thank Jo for serving Breakwater in his capacity as our Board of Trustees chairperson.