Interview 12600 – Caption Index: 536
Well I was involved in the sense that I was on their executive board at one time. Read More
Well I was involved in the sense that I was on their executive board at one time. Read More
Well, obviously I felt very strongly that we had to be independent of the Parks Association. I mean, we had nothing really, well we had, I can’t say nothing in common, we of course did. But very little in common with them. And I think that those guys who, one… Read More
And I remember it very distinctly. Read More
How involved were you in the new AZA?… Read More
Now you were part of The Zoo Association, or the zoos when they were part of the parks department?… Read More
Yes, I was. Read More
And what was your impression of the AAZPA when it was part of the Parks Association, and as it evolved to break away?… Read More
What was your relationship with your senior staff?… Read More
Were you trying to, did you encourage training and professional development?… Read More
Oh yeah, yes of course. I would say that some of them, where some of them truthfully were traitors to me, They couldn’t make the break between keeper and staff. It was very difficult for them. So when the keepers could impress, impose on them to side with them, even… Read More
Well, most of the things that we did basically were done by other zoos. It was sort of standard procedure. This zoo just wasn’t, there was nothing standard about this zoo. So they didn’t do things like that, but it was just stuff that other, you know, other zoos did… Read More
But not, you know, not until the end. Read More
Do you feel that in a zoo it’s better to have an animal person as the head of the organization or a business person?… Read More
You know, I switch back and forth on that, I really do. Sometimes I think, well it’s better the animal person needs to be in charge, but I don’t know, maybe not. I’m not positive about it. In years gone by, I certainly would’ve said the animal person should be… Read More
Were there other things that either you did implement in the way of structure that you would want, or you think a zoo should have from a person outside?… Read More
And if you were wrong, if something that you did led to it, or some of the zoo, whatever, facilities or protocols led to it, you have to own up to it. But I really don’t think that’s the case. I mean, in most instances, I really don’t. Read More
How would you describe your management style?… Read More
What management style? (laughing) No I, you know, I tried not to be a dictator, although I was accused of it, certainly. But there, you would always be accused of it. You made them do anything, you were a dictator. But that’s, you know, I tried to be non-dictatorial and… Read More
It’s very difficult, and most of that is because of that. Not all, not all of it, but most it’s because of it. Read More
Did you have any strategies for trying to deal with the negative press?… Read More