When the zoo had a fundraising party, I would be at the gate with big boa or python around my shoulders, making sure everybody that came to the party if they wanted to, they got the chance to touch a snake. Marilyn was often sitting at my side greeting people,… Read More
In your capacity as director because the zoo was growing, did you ever have the opportunity or desire to bring animals home and take care of ’em or were there circumstances like that?… Read More
Well my wife would tell you I did live at the grounds ’cause I spent a lotta time at night. I was on 24-hour call. Just again follow up here. You talked about Marilyn helping you with your first reptile capture of a rattlesnake. Read More
How involved was she or your children during your time at the zoo?… Read More
Fundraising or things or meeting donors or field trips?… Read More
But if a director’s expected to host receptions in his home for fundraising, having you on a property would have a big advantage. It’d be nice to be able to get away from it at night. Read More
I was gonna say did you ever aspire to have a home on the grounds?… Read More
Like tell ’em to put it in writing and they really would. Very good advice. Very good advice. Some zoos’ directors have lived on the property. Read More
Was that ever offered to you?… Read More
That was never an option, never an option. You knew people that lived on the property. I knew quite a few zoos. San Antonio had residents on the property. I think at one time, Oklahoma City. I know Kansas City did it one time, residents on the property. I have… Read More
You had indicated that when you were coming up, there were people that you worked with that essentially were hires because someone said, “Hire this guy.” What kind of pressure as a director did you have, if ever, from your board to hire individuals and how did you handle that?… Read More
By the time I came director, we were a political subdivision of the state of Missouri. The Zoo Museum District. So I was no longer beholding to either the county executive or the mayor. So they did not have the authority to call me up and ask me to hire… Read More
Did you have that pressure from board members?… Read More
Very rarely. And if I did, I gave them the interview, a courtesy of the interview. But there was always a reason why I didn’t have to hire ’em. I had some board members that were businessmen that once in a while would try to use your influence on me,… Read More
During your time as director, if I was to talk to your curatorial staff, your professional staff, how would they say, how would they describe your management style?… Read More
From what they tell me today, they felt that my first interest was always the zoo and not myself. I think they always thought I was fair. They didn’t always agree with me. But they always thought that whatever I dictated, it was in the best interest of the zoo. Read More
Guess you couldn’t say that for a lotta the directors. Read More
I think being a good zoo director, for me was to recognize other people’s talents and utilize ’em and let them shine. Have a lotta stars on the team and not try to be the only star. Because I did know from historically, the first director was very, very good,… Read More
I learned that from Marlin and I think Marlon wanted to create a team because he wanted to be able to run the zoo. He also wanted to be able to go away and do Wild Kingdom. He could only do that if he had a responsible team. But I… Read More
They got a paid membership and they participated in committees, SSPs. By that participation, they were further developing in their own careers. Read More