Rusty Chinnis | Chairman

Rusty Chinnis - Chairman

Rusty Chinnis is a retired building contractor who has lived in the Longbeach Village on the north end of Longboat Key for over four decades. Rusty is an avid fly fisher, award winning writer, and photographer with credits in several national fly-fishing publications. Rusty was a founder of and co-chairman of the Sister Keys Conservancy and is a co-founder, Past President, and Chairman of The Board of Sarasota Bay Watch. He was instrumental in forming the Manatee Chapter of the Florida Conservation Association, now the Coastal Conservation Association, and served as its first President. Rusty is a member of the Outdoor Writer’s Association of America and was President and Chairman of The Board of The Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association. Rusty  is a Fly Fishers International Casting Instructor, the Outdoors Editor of the Anna Maria Island. Rusty joined Suncoast Waterkeeper because in his words, “they are doing the critical work to hold municipalities and elected officials accountable under the Clean Water Act”.