The Seed Project Foundation (SPF) funds educational, agricultural, and community initiatives that support sustainability. Sustainability is a social challenge that improves the quality of life today without compromising future generations' quality of life.
The Seed Project Foundation was established on the premise that funding sustainable ideas today will support ecological and social balance in the future.
Providing seed money for causes that enhance the principles of sustainability is our mission.
OUR MISSION
The SPF was established in 2015 by Rick Wells, an entrepreneur and philanthropist in McKinney, Texas.
Rick had just opened a farm-to-table restaurant called Harvest Seasonal Kitchen, now Harvest at The Masonic in McKinney’s Historic Downtown, with a commitment to use as many products as possible from local producers. Rick also started a small organic farm on his property to help supply his restaurants, which is called Water Boy Farms.
In working with local farmers and starting his own farm, Rick began to understand the challenges faced by our farming community and became committed to supporting it. For every dollar you spend locally, seventy cents stay in your community, and it is on that principle that the Foundation operates.
OUR STORY
McKinney Roots
McKinney Roots is our donation farm, and we’re excited to announce that we are moving to Gray Branch Parkland!
Our mission is to supply fresh produce to the food-insecure in our community by growing and distributing our produce to local nonprofits, churches, and schools in Collin County. McKinney Roots is run by two full time farmers and a dedicated team of volunteers.
Harvest Seasonal Kitchen was recognized in both 2019 and 2020 as one of Texans By Nature 20 for our efforts in conservation and sustainability that positively impact our community's economic prosperity and natural resources. Part of this recognition was due to the expansion of Harvest’s reach and impact, by establishing the Seed Project Foundation which funds educational, agricultural, and community initiatives that support sustainability. For more info, check out this link: https://texanbynature.org/txn20/
TXN 20 Honoree
Board of Directors
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Rick Wells
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
After growing up in the family steakhouse business, Rick earned a degree in business administration from Southeastern State University. Rick has over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is the owner of Wells Hospitality Group, which co-owns Rick’s Chophouse and Harvest at The Masonic in Historic Downtown McKinney. Rick has a rich past in philanthropy, including serving as the President of the Samaritan Inn and President of the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools. In 2018, he was awarded two inaugural awards, the Cornerstone Ranch LaFerney Community Hero award and the Cultivating Land and Community Award from Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance. In 2019, Rick was honored as Distinguished Alumnus of Southeastern State University.
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Lenda Fidelman
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Lenda is a co-owner of Fields of Fidelis, a lavender farm located in Anna, TX. She’s a U.S. Army National Guard veteran and attended Dallas Baptist University for both her undergraduate and master's degrees in business. Lenda is a Collin County Master Gardener, member of the Collin County Rotary Club and a past President. She’s married to fellow U.S. Army National Guard veteran, AJ Fidelman, has two boys, and enjoys gardening, traveling, and volunteering.
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Andrea Shackelford
BOARD MEMBER
Raised in Dallas, Andrea Shackelford graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2007 and embarked on a career committed to the farm to table movement. After honing her skills alongside notable chefs Tom Colicchio, Jeff Harris, Tim Bevins, and Graham Dodds, Andrea joined Wells Hospitality Group/DFA in 2012. Under her direction, Harvest was named one of the Best New Restaurants of 2014 by the Dallas Morning News and featured on the cover of D Magazine’s Best Restaurants of 2015. Andrea is a Master Gardener and founding member of the Seed Project Foundation.
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Vicki Deerman
TREASURER
Vicki has been a member of the board of directors since 2016. As a volunteer and employee, Vicki has served in leadership roles on several non-profit boards and is currently the Executive Director for the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the students, faculty, and staff of the Lovejoy ISD. Previously she worked as the office and finance manager of the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation and as a software engineer at Raytheon. She has a B.S. degree in Computer Science from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from the University of Dallas.
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Michael Dorff
BOARD MEMBER
Michael leads global integrated communication campaigns at RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies), one of the largest aerospace defense companies in the world. He previously led integrated comms for the multi-billion-dollar Global Spectrum Dominance business unit at Raytheon. With more than 20 years of public affairs experience in the private sector, non-profits, and the federal government, Michael is a storyteller and strategic thinker with a passion for helping people understand complex topics. He is a relationship builder who makes unexpected connections and brings people together to find fresh approaches to old problems. Michael is also a founding member of Texan by Nature's Advisory Board, and he is the chair of the Staff Parish Relations Committee at First United Methodist Church in downtown McKinney. He is an amateur naturalist and gardener with four young children, and he is proud to say they are 9th-generation Texans. Michael is happiest when he has found just the right words or his hands are in the soil.
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Steve Lambouses
BUSINESS EXECUTIVE, ADVISOR, INVESTOR, VOLUNTEER
Steve Lambouses is a former Executive for Texas Instruments with over 20yrs of experience creating and growing businesses generating over one-billion dollars annually. Throughout his career, Steve has built several global organizations that have outperformed their peers by focusing on teamwork, diversity, a relentless drive for continuous improvement and a mentality of work hard ~ play hard.
As a passionate leader, Steve has severed on several industry advisory boards, while also spearheading multiple corporate level initiates, such as executive sponsor for the United Way at TI and the executive sponsor for TI’s Employee Diversity Initiative, an organization dedicated to awareness-building and skill development.
Steve earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts. As the son of an immigrant and the first in his family to go to college, he’s no stranger to hard work. In his spare time, he likes outdoor activities, spending time with family and entertaining friends. Although he and his family currently live in Parker, Texas they call New England home where they can get some real clam chowda and where the seasons are not just hot and hotter.
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Larry Little
BOARD MEMBER
Living in Fairview, Larry is an active member of the Collin County community. He serves on the Fairview Town Council, the finance committee of the Methodist church, and the board of the Samaritan Inn, and other nonprofit boards. He firmly believes in giving back to those who need a hand-up. His love of animals shows in his support of InSync, a lion and tiger rescue facility, TMR, a donkey rescue farm and the Stephenson House at Texas A&M.
After graduating from Texas A&M, with a degree in marketing, Larry, along with his wife Pam, started Ace Fence Company out of their garage in Tomball, Texas. In the mid 80’s they moved it to the Dallas area and just recently sold a significant portion of it. Fully retiring in 2024 Larry spends his time between his home in Steephollow and Fairview taking care of his donkeys and longhorns. He especially enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, celebrating family events, Aggie sports, playing golf, fishing and taking his dog Ruby for walks.