You know, it’s that kind of, ’cause they’re getting the corporations and donors are getting hit from so many different sides. So it’s more difficult. It takes a more organized plan, and that’s why I again emphasize outside professional help. An organization cannot or should not attempt this just with… Read More
How did you adjust to fundraising hat?… Read More
One of the things I really enjoyed and not many zoo directors do, but I really enjoyed fundraising. I love to ask for money. That was a fun part of my job. Really, when you think about it, most of them are flattered. You know, all they can do is… Read More
And I found that over a period of years that you’re not gonna make any enemies. In fact, you’re probably, even if they don’t give you anything, they still think it was nice of you to ask them. Read More
The most difficult areas to get the public to respond to, of course, were sewer renovation and underground repairs and the nuts and bolts of the zoo operation. Our zoo had been so neglected. We still had, if you can believe this, and probably we should have preserved them, we… Read More
And if we didn’t address them, who would?… Read More
So we got them passed, but it is difficult. You mentioned a zoo director has to wear many hats. Read More
And a marketing firm worked very well. For example, I went into a donor and personally, I would have never asked, I asked for certain amounts, I would have never gone over that. Read More
And this gal says, no, you’re gonna ask for a million and a half, I said, what?… Read More
They’ll kick me out, throw me out. I asked for a million and a half and I got a million. So she said right there, she more than paid her way. She brought us in an extra half a million dollars. So they were quite instrumental. They knew the community,… Read More
Was it hard to sell, when you talk about funding, was it hard to sell the public on funding for sewer renovation, underground renovations that had nothing to do with animal exhibits?… Read More
I had media, I had television, everything. I thought that was again, the end of a promising career, but it worked out. Eventually I survived it. The board supported me, and that was important. Read More
When you talk about the board and fundraising, what were your major fundraisers for bringing money into the organization?… Read More
Our fundraising, we started out our initial fundraising back in the 70s using key board people that were movers and shakers. Bill Williams, who was one of the former owners of the Cincinnati Reds, Southern Insurance Company and Oliver Gail, and they would go out and they would find a… Read More
Yeah, it was a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, successful venture or promotion. Read More
Were there certain things you didn’t want the press involved in?… Read More
You mentioned moving animals. Yes. I had an early an early experience as a neophyte zoo director. I think it was my first month on board. I probably wouldn’t have done it if I was curator, but as zoo director, I thought oh boy, this’ll make great press and show… Read More
So that was a marvelous success. And then we had, we had supervision by some of the San Diego people they would allow us, we’d have donors for $1000 be able to hold a koala, $1000 a hold, and boy, they were lined up. Read More
Really?… Read More
Both newspapers at the time, we had two newspapers and it was front page, big front page spread. Read More