Interview 30880 – Caption Index: 105
So in this instance, what type of zoo did you find?… Read More
So in this instance, what type of zoo did you find?… Read More
And did he give you any advice or you never met him?… Read More
He was, he, he I think spent like 13 years there. Read More
Well, my good friend Earl Wells was the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. He was also a zoo consultant. And he was consulting with the zoo. The Lincoln Children’s Zoo back then in 1986, was known as the Folsom Children’s Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Okay. It was incorporated originally in 1965… Read More
Well, Earl was consulting with the zoo at that time to upgrade it and remodel it. And the zoo director left at that time in February of 86. And Earl said, here, write, write a letter to this lady. So I wrote a letter to that lady and the lady… Read More
I said, you know, it was political reasons why I lost my, I left my previous zoo and they said most of the applicants left for political reasons. It was kind of hot right then. And so that my predecessor left in February and I started in April. That they,… Read More
Clarence Wright ran the zoo for a while. Yes, exactly. So it was just kind of a revolving door and ’cause it was a city zoo, there wasn’t any commitment from the city to keep the zoo thriving and going strong. I think subsequently the new gentleman there who is… Read More
How does this happen?… Read More
You’re interviewing all over, they come to you. How does that happen?… Read More
Who replaced you at the zoo as director?… Read More
I’m trying to recall because it was a revolving door for many years. It, it was a revolving door for many years. I know Phil Frost, who’s retired from Baton Rouge Zoo, was there for a while. It was Johnny Martinez, who’s also retired from the Moto Zoos, was there… Read More
Okay. And so I came into an agreement that I would leave the zoo. That I always wanted to run forever and grow up because it was my hometown zoo. I wanted, that was gonna be my, I was gonna retire from that zoo. But I said, I said I… Read More
And the mayor got his nose out of Ben, got outta shape. The mayor wasn’t able to raise funds for his pet projects. But the zoo was raising money for zoo projects. Okay. When you work at a city zoo, the mayor’s your ultimate boss. Oh. But I was young… Read More
Okay. And I said, I’ll give myself a year to find another zoo. You know, and if I don’t find another zoo in that year, I will find another job in South Bend, Indiana in my hometown. And I had other job offers and I did different things. I tore… Read More
Because I was a cocky smart mouth independent guy who wasn’t gonna be told no, I, I loved the zoo and I was gonna do everything I could for the zoo. And I worked really, really hard for the zoo. And I developed lots of relationships in the community. Media… Read More
I said, you damn right. I want it. So I got the gig, boy was I stepped into it. So you stay as zoo director Yeah. For approximately one year. Yep. Which seems like a short time. Read More
It was. And, and then you go to another zoo, which we’ll discuss, but why your stadium director’s brief. Why?… Read More
I was really young too. I was born in 57. Do the math on that one. Well, the zoo director was moved aside. He, they weren’t happy with him for some reason. And I was offered the, the position and damn right, I’m gonna take that job. I, I wanted… Read More
I want to do it right. I want to help the animals out. I want to affect good change. And so, by God and Gloria, I was gonna become a zoo director. Read More
So the parks director, the parks superintendent, who the zoo director answered to said, you want it?… Read More