President - Russ Killingsworth

Russ became a beekeeper’s henchman by hanging around with Gretchen during her 9 years of beekeeping.  He has helped set up hives; capture swarms; requeen hives; deal with pests, aggressive hives, & annoyed neighbors; relocate hives; harvest honey, wax, & propolis; mourn losses; keep track of everything; go to club meetings & conferences; & take lots of pictures.  All of that, along with being stung a few dozen times while working with bees, makes him an honorary beekeeper, though he still tells people he’s a beekeeper’s henchman.  He’s been a member of MBA since 2012.

Vice President - Richard Threlkeld

Richard Threlkeld has been a beekeeper for 5 years and an officer in Metrobeekeepers for 4 years, He is a Texas Master Beekeeper - Advanced with an average of 8 hives. He earns his living as a software developer, is a retired CPA, is a retired EMT, does some catering and teaches cooking, and is active in the Society for Creative Anachronism which recreates the middle ages.

Education includes a BA in Computer Sciences (UT Austin) and a Master of Professional Accounting (UT Arlington). He is a member of the Texas Beekeepers Association and the American Federation of Beekeepers.

Like most MBA officers, he gives talks on bees and beekeeping, mentors new beekeepers, captures swarms, and relocates wild hives.

Youth Coordinator - Katrina Semones

Katrina is new to beekeeping and will celebrate the first anniversary of her first 3 hives on April 24, 2020.  She enjoys her new hobby with her husband, Michael. They reside in Burleson.

Web & Social Media Director - Robert F. Morrow

Robert was introduced to bee keeping after his daughter, Amelia, won the MBA Hill/Stokes Memorial Youth Scholarship in 2017. That same year, he was awarded the Rookie Beekeeper of the Year. Together they maintain two hives at their home along with three Bee Apiaries (Southlake and Azle).

Secretary - Brent Husted

Brent’s interest in beekeeping started at 12 years old when his uncle became a hobbyist and would occasionally give the family honey.  He purchased his first hive in 2010 and a few more in 2012.  After capturing a swarm in 2015 he dove head first into the “art” of beekeeping and husbandry.  Currently Brent has 40 hives in his apiary and enjoys the science of queen breeding.  He loves working the bees with his younger children and talking about beekeeping with the community and school children.

Programs - Mark Pryzbyla

Mark has been studying beekeeping for the past three years, and got his first hive in 2020. He plans to add more hives in 2021, and will focus on apiaries in an urban environment. By day he is an analytical chemist and manager of a small pharmaceutical lab that he helped build. He loves science and finds the scientific side of beekeeping fascinating, including the production of items using bee products, like soap, balms, etc. He is working on a Masters in Data Analytics, and wants to start a database on beekeeping in order to further study bees and apiary management. He served 8 years in the coast guard and plans to volunteer for Hives for Heroes. In his free time Mark likes to run Marathons rain or shine, and when the weather cooperates ride his Harley. He loves camping, fishing, and many other outdoor activities.

Treasurer - Gretchen Killingsworth

Gretchen loves bees and beekeeping.  Since 2012, she has had 1 to 3 beehives in her urban backyard &/or a couple of hives in a rural area.  She has had mostly Langstroth hives, but also a few Top Bar hives. She regularly captures swarms, and has helped friends deal with bees in trees, on patios, & even inside apartments.  She is a mentor for the MBA scholarship student program, has taught a beekeeping class at Tarrant County College to Seniors (age 55+) for a few years, and has taught elementary school students about beekeeping.  She has been a member of MBA since 2012. Gretchen also teaches the MBA Beginning Beekeeping class.

Membership - Russ Killingsworth

Past President - Ryan Giesecke

Ryan owns and operates G-Bar Bees, located in East Dallas. From there he offers bee-friendly removals of honey bees and bumble bees as “Honey Bee Relocation Services”, as well as maintaining a focus on education through speaking engagements around the state and beekeeping classes at his home apiary. As well his role at MBA, Ryan is currently president of Trinity Valley Beekeepers Association in Dallas. He is a Texas Master Beekeeper, and participated in Texas Master Naturalist training in 2018.