I keep in touch with a lot of them very regularly, those of my generation. So, it was good. But I think it’s changing. I think it’s evolving. It’s probably evolving at a rate that today would make me very uncomfortable. Read More
It’s a good profession. It’s a good profession. It’s a good way of life. It’s something when you look back on it, you would like to think you made a difference. There are opportunities there to make difference. It’s a wholesome thing. It’s not particularly cutthroat. It’s not like having… Read More
I think the profession was very comfortable. It had some wonderful travel perks to it. I assume that the young curators and stuff today are still able to visit parts of the world and see nature first hand. So, when somebody asked me, “Well, what was the zoo business like?”… Read More
What do you know about this profession that you devoted so many years of your life too?… Read More
If I asked you, what would be one of your proudest accomplishments?… Read More
Well, from an animal standpoint, the renovation of the birdhouse at the St. Louis Zoo. I was always proud of that because that was monumental change. That was a big step in the way bird collections were being exhibited and maintained and that was maybe a next generation start on… Read More
Well, I don’t like to take risks. That doesn’t mean I didn’t make some snap decisions (chuckles) because on occasion I did. Now, I think my track record for snap decisions is pretty good though. I probably made more correct snap decisions than I did incorrect ones but it seemed… Read More
Impetuosity from a person who told me that they don’t like to take risks?… Read More
Probably and I do realize and I learned this with age and you learn a lot of things with age that there were more ways to doing something than my way. And I could have paid a lot of more attention to those because it would’ve been the right thing… Read More
I don’t know that they balanced out but certainly one of the things that I would’ve done different is I would’ve spent more time with my family. I mentioned that earlier. You don’t realize it as you’re doing it, it’s that way of life. And you don’t realize that there… Read More
Well, that’s interesting because I have thought if I hadn’t gone into the zoo business, what would I have done?… Read More
I would’ve probably end up running a nursery. A tree nursery or a plant nursery. It would’ve been doing something with something living, although an accounting job would’ve been a nice eight to five thing but probably a lot of things I would’ve done differently. I always had a little… Read More
Would you been a CPA?… Read More
(laughter) What would I have done?… Read More
Would you have stayed in the profession?… Read More
How much time we got?… Read More
If you could go back in time, if anything, what would you have done differently?… Read More
I tell ’em do their homework. It’s a lame remark and I don’t believe that it’s founded on anything other than emotion. That intellectually, you can’t make that kind of a statement in today’s world. You maybe could have 40 years ago. I don’t think it applies today. It’s an… Read More
But I do think it’s going in the right direction. I do think AZA has taken a leadership role in at least coordinating these efforts and that a lot of the directors and appropriate individuals have realized that there’s gotta be change and it’s got to take place now. Read More
What would you say to those who still believe that zoos are nothing more than places where you keep caged animals?… Read More