Board of Directors

  • Cheryl Pratt, Board Chair

    Cheryl and her architect husband, Tracy, have always been fascinated with historic buildings. In 2011 they took the plunge, buying a PGDF house that was slated for demolition. After a meticulous two-year renovation, they bought another, then another. By now completely immersed in the world of renovation possibilities, Cheryl joined PGDF to join with other like-minded folks in saving Greensboro’s past for future generations to enjoy.

  • David Arneke, Board Vice-Chair

    David is a writer, editor and, occasionally, a designer with experience in journalism, corporate public relations and philanthropy, and higher education. He has served as president of Preservation Greensboro and as a member of the Greensboro Historic Preservation Commission. He is a 30-year resident of the College Hill Historic District. Since 2017, he has written and edited PiedmontHistoricHomes.com, a guide to historic homes for sale in the Piedmont Triad area.

  • Jesse Arnett, Secretary, White Oak Residential Design

    Jesse established White Oak Residential Design in Greensboro in 2016. He graduated from Page High School and then from North Carolina State University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture. After serving in youth ministry for five years, he returned to the design field in 2011. Working for a highly regarded local home builder, Jesse gained valuable, practical experience in construction management and estimating, in addition to his design work. He has designed dozens of projects around the state, ranging from single-room renovations to large additions and new custom homes.

    Jesse is chairman of the City of Greensboro’s Historic Preservation Commission.

  • C. Gregory Porter, CPA, Treasurer, Porter & Company

    Greg is founder, president and a principal of Porter & Company, Accountants and Consultants, in Greensboro.

  • Catherine Birch, Greensboro Kitchen & Bath

  • April Larkins, The Christman Company

    April is not scared of tough projects. Her love of preservation was never tested more than while serving as Senior Project Manager for the Cascade Saloon Redevelopment project. After successful completion of that project, her focus in her professional life with The Christman Company was established as a leader in preservation within the North Carolina region. As a Project Executive, she has worked in a multitude of market sectors, but it is her love of preservation that led her to the Fund’s Board. She continues to enjoy working with her fellow preservationists and colleagues to preserve and reimagine new life in historic buildings.

  • Jeffery B. Parsons, J.D., D.H. Griffin Companies

    Jeff is general counsel to D.H. Griffin Companies, a longtime Greensboro-based, multi-faceted construction contractor with a national customer base. He previously worked in Charlotte, where he served as chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission and vice-chair of Preserve Mecklenburg.  As an attorney with 35 years’ experience, Jeff served in government, representing state agencies including the University of North Carolina System, represented private businesses as a partner in a law firm, and worked in-house assisting companies with contractual risk management and legal problem solving. Jeff was born in Greensboro and is glad to be “back home.”

  • Marsh D. Prause, J.D., Allman Spry

    Marsh is a director and shareholder in Allman Spry Attorneys at Law in Winston-Salem. He is an environmental and land-use attorney.