John Nicholson
President, Fawn Lake Board
John Nicholson has proudly called Fawn Lake home for the past 10 years and currently serves as President of the Fawn Lake Board. At 48 years old, John is married to his high school sweetheart, and together they are raising three teenagers (yes—send help), which keeps life busy, loud, and entertaining.
John is drawn to the quiet, peaceful nature of Fawn Lake and truly values the sense of community that makes the neighborhood special. Living on the water is something he doesn’t take for granted, and he appreciates the balance Fawn Lake offers between privacy, nature, and connection with neighbors.
Giving back to the community is important to John, which is what led him to become involved with the Board and ultimately step into the role of President. He is committed to maintaining the Association’s financial strength, being a responsible steward of community resources, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the subdivision.
Equally important to John is making sure residents feel heard. He believes everyone should have a safe, respectful space to voice concerns, ask questions, and share ideas. His goal is to work collaboratively with the Board and residents to ensure Fawn Lake remains one of the best places to live in West Branch—now and for generations to come.
Amanda McMurry - Treasurer
I enjoy being on the board because it allows me to contribute to our community. As a bookkeeper/office manager by trade, I find fulfillment in my role as treasurer. My main goals include:
Financial Records: I aim to streamline our financial records retention process and keep records organized and easy to access.
Fostering Strong Relationships: Building a strong relationship with our accountant and our residents is important for effective collaboration.
Dues Invoices: Return to mailing dues invoices in July.
Maintaining Accurate Resident Records: Keeping up-to-date records of our residents is crucial for communication and invoicing.
By achieving these goals, I hope to enhance our overall operations and better serve our community.
Annette Panter - Secretary
In April 2021, Annette Panter followed her only child to West Branch. She purchased her Fawn Lake home in April 2022, and is awaiting the arrival of her fifth grandchild, due in March 2026.
Annette’s greatest joy in Fawn Lake is the security she feels. Having lived in El Salvador as a child and Chicago as an adult, Annette has rarely experienced such a sense of safety. Initially, she was afraid to venture alone on our trails or even walk the stretch of road that goes past the dam. That fear no longer exists, and at 68 years old, Annette’s new-found feeling of freedom never fails to amaze her.
Annette loves living in this wooded area with the great variety of birds at her feeders, as well as the deer, turkey, turtles, frogs and salamanders with which we share the property.
Having joined the Fawn Lake Board in 2023, Annette records the minutes of our regular and annual subdivision meetings. This has enabled her to learn more about the past and present of the community and the many ways our neighbors pitch in to help each other. Her goal is to provide a detailed written record to support the Board’s efforts.
Allison Brandt - Board Member
Our family of four has lived in Fawn Lake since February 2021, and I joined the board later that fall. Moving from a busy, noisy road in a small Wisconsin town to a quiet subdivision was a dramatic shift—in the best way. That first season, I put up a few bird feeders and quickly got hooked on identifying all the new visitors. Walking the loop or the wooded trails has become a reliable reset and a solid way to get some exercise. We appreciate being close to town while still having a private, wooded setting. Letting the kids play in the parks and explore the woods without worrying much about who’s coming through has been a real blessing, and it’s the kind of freedom they’ll likely look back on with great memories. Serving on the board has helped me feel more connected to the community, especially during group workdays, and our family pitches in with subdivision maintenance whenever we can. Our Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated volunteers who are committed to serving the best interests of our community. They work tirelessly to ensure that our neighborhood remains a great place to live.
Tony Buckett - Board Member
Christine and I have lived on Fawn Lake since 1982, we are both natives of the UK. During our life on Fawn Lake we have shared roles as President, Treasurer and Board Members.
We came to the USA first in 1972 as inter-company transferees and at that time lived on Long Island , New York. I was transferred back to the UK later that same year.
Before retirement I was a technical specialist in high production high precision machine tool technology. I have managed factories in Europe and in the USA. Travel for work has taken me to more than two dozen countries and when, during one of those assignments in the USA, I was approached to join a US company, we negotiated and I accepted a position at a plant in Iowa.
Our two kids were both born in the UK and all of us are now dual citizens of UK & USA. In addition to our two kids family now totals one married grandchild and two teenage grandchildren.
We were our own general contractors when we built our house in Fawn Lake, initially on one lot but expanded over the years to a total of five.
Peggy Staso - Board Member
When my husband and I bought property at Fawn Lake in 1998, I couldn’t wait to build and make this our home. We’ve been enjoying this small town community full-time now for eight years. Two of our adult children live in Baltimore, and the oldest, stationed in the Netherlands, is about to retire.
My interests are embedded in the outdoor vibe of northern Michigan, yoga, sewing, and crafting.
I’ve always been a proponent of community service, so volunteering as a Fawn Lake board member was an obvious decision for me. Participating in clean up/maintenance days, beautifying the front entrance, and keeping an eye on water quality gives me pride as a neighborhood member.