As we progressed, the old building that we had the chimps in and the other primates that we had at the zoo and the other cats, other than the lions, we eventually closed that building to the public, the exhibitry was horrible. It wound up, we changed it into a… Read More
I mean this, once again, seventies, Though Evansville changed. It had been a long time democratic city. And then in the seventies, there was a Republican, there was a change, Republicans came in and hadn’t been there in office for, I don’t know, 60 years, 70 years, some very long… Read More
Initially when Dion came in, he had his learning curve too. See what the facility was, see how the city was to work with. There was always a zoological society there that at that time, about the only thing they wound up doing is producing a newsletter quarterly for their… Read More
What were they focusing on all of a sudden?… Read More
Did he immediately start to make changes or discuss changes with you zoo change direction?… Read More
The new director comes into the zoo. Read More
But I certainly would call these people These are some of the few people that I feel I knew more than just colleagues, that I could sound off, blow off some hot air, just relieve myself. ‘Cause I didn’t have that. In Evansville, I didn’t even have, I mean, I… Read More
What would you do, what would you recommend?… Read More
You mentioned that you talked to one of the former directors, Frank Thompson, when you were heading the zoo, were there other people you reached out to, or were there people that reached out to you in a mentorship kind of role?… Read More
I talked to people at Lincoln Park on various occasions, sometimes just to, I don’t remember specific conversations in terms of, hey, I have this problem. Read More
I guess when he applied for the zoo, I mean, I started checking on me. I wasn’t the name in the business at that point in time. Not that I’m a name this at this point in time, but it was certainly so early in my career. I mean, whether… Read More
He knew of you?… Read More
I knew of him, I knew the name. I had never met him, once again, it was so early in my career and going to conferences where you meet people. When he was the new director, and they used to have five, I think it was five regional conferences back… Read More
And when the new director came in, did you know him previously or he was new to you?… Read More
No, not that I remember. Read More
Was your input for a new director solicited by the people from the city?… Read More
No, I don’t remember that. How long were you. Six months. I’m sorry, about six months. And they had, I mean, during that time, the city had brought in a couple people for interviews and I would be showing them around to the zoo, I was the zoo contact. Read More
So when that was mentioned, I’m not sure if it was me coming forth, Mike, are you interested in position?… Read More
I don’t remember saying that, but I know some sort of conversation had certainly came up because I did make it clear. No, I don’t remember the details of the conversation, that I said, I’m not interested. I’m not interested in a position. I just wanna wait, take care of… Read More
Did any of these people who were obviously maybe higher position than you say to you Mike, we’d like you to be a guy?… Read More