Grand Teton National Park Foundation Welcomes Newest Additions to Board and Advisory Council

Fundraising group for Grand Teton expands capacity through new leadership

 
Jackson, Wyoming – November 13, 2012 – Grand Teton National Park Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of new members to its board of directors and resource council.  Jane Hill, Richard Mithoff, David Viehman, Barry Gold and Neal Manne have joined the Foundation board; Dennis Butcher, Allison Lee, Phil Leeds, Jim Ryan and Shawn Whitman are the newest members of the resource council.  The group brings considerable and varied experience to the Foundation as it executes its mission to provide financial support for projects that enhance and protect Grand Teton’s treasured resources.

“We look forward to fulfilling our commitment to fund dynamic, significant projects in Grand Teton this year amid the fresh perspectives and energy contributed by these newest board and resource council members.  Our advisors serve as valuable liaisons between Grand Teton National Park and its local and national constituents, and we continue to benefit from their enlightened guidance and support,” says Leslie Mattson, president of Grand Teton National Park Foundation.  Many of the new members have strong ties to the Jackson community, including involvement with local organizations and businesses ranging from outdoor gear shops to area real estate.

New members will join current Board Chairman Bob Hartman, Vice Chair Barbara Carlson, Secretary John Townsend and Treasurer Scott Spangler in comprising what Mattson calls “one of the Foundation’s most active and effective leadership teams to date.”  In 2012, board and resource council members will work with Foundation staff to continue funding ongoing initiatives in Grand Teton, including youth engagement, wildlife research, and several new park-prioritized projects.

Barry Gold works in finance and divides his time between New York, Washington, D.C., and Jackson, WY.  He is currently a senior adviser working with the Starwood Capital Group’s Energy Fund. 

Jane Hill worked extensively in politics in Washington, D.C., before moving to Jackson full-time with her family.  In addition to GTNPF, her local involvement includes the Journeys School, CLIMB Wyoming and the JH Pony Club.

Neal Manne is a trial lawyer at Susman Godfrey LLP, a law firm based in Houston, TX.  He and his wife, Nancy, have been homeowners in Jackson since 2001.

Richard Mithoff is founder of Mithoff Law Firm in Houston, TX.  Mr. Mithoff is an avid climber.

David Viehman is originally from Orlando, FL, and moved to Jackson in 1992.  He is an associate broker and one of the owners at Jackson Hole Real Estate Associates, LLC.

Dennis Butcher practices internal medicine at St. John’s Hospital and has lived in Jackson Hole since 1980.   He is an avid fly angler, cyclist and hiker.

Allison Lee worked in locations around the globe as an investment banker before moving to the US.  She enjoys hiking, rock climbing and skiing with her family.

Phil Leeds has lived in Jackson Hole since 1977.  He is co-owner of Skinny Skis and Moosely Mountaineering, two local outdoor stores. 

Jim Ryan is the market president for Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. in Jackson, where he also runs the business banking department in Jackson, Pinedale and Star Valley, WY and in Driggs, ID.

Shawn Whitman grew up in Wyoming and served as chief of staff for the late Senator Craig Thomas and for Senator John Barrasso.  He currently lives in Alexandria, VA, with his family and is a consultant at Kountoupes Consulting, LLC.

Grand Teton Lodge Company Properties Contribute $600,000 for Park Projects

JACKSON, WY—Grand Teton Lodge Company, owned by Vail Resorts, has gifted $600,000 to Grand Teton National Park Foundation since 1999 making the lodging group the largest and one of the longest running corporate partners in Foundation history. Gifts from Grand Teton Lodge Company properties—Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge, and Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis—originate through a voluntary program that allows guests to contribute $1/night of their stay to the Foundation’s work in the park. The gift includes in-kind services provided by the group as well. Through this generous private support, the Foundation continues to enable an extensive list of visitor service, education, and improvement projects and assists the park in offering high-quality interpretation, recreation, and education to visitors. As the primary fundraising partner for Grand Teton National Park, the Foundation works with individuals, foundations, and businesses to raise funding that underwrites projects and programming in Grand Teton. 

“We want to celebrate our long relationship with Grand Teton Lodge Company and take this opportunity to publicly thank John Rutter, his team, and Vail Resorts for providing ongoing funding for park projects and for understanding the value these projects provide for park visitors,” Foundation President Leslie Mattson said. “We also thank each and every guest who has contributed through the lodging program. It’s gratifying to see many visitors who want to participate in the education and improvements that help Grand Teton remain one of the country’s top outdoor destinations.” 

“It has been our pleasure working with Grand Teton National Park Foundation. The work they have done and are doing for Grand Teton National Park is invaluable,” John Rutter, vice president of Grand Teton Lodge Company and Flagg Ranch Company, said. “We look forward to continued success and a strong partnership to make this magical place spectacular.” 

The lodging program originated in 1999 with Clay James, former president and general manager of Grand Teton Lodge Company, which was owned by CSX Corporation. Vail Resorts continued the program when it purchased the company in the latter part of 1999. James launched the initiative at Jenny Lake Lodge and Jackson Lake Lodge with the goal of educating visitors about the benefits of private support in parks while generating significant funding for on-the-ground projects in Grand Teton National Park. “We were the first park concessioner to create a check-off program in a national park,” James said. “Guests were happy to contribute because the money stayed in the park for projects that benefited visitors.” 

Today, lodging programs based on this model can be found in national parks and their gateway communities across the country, James said, and he is pleased that other parks are also benefiting from this idea. Projects supported by Grand Teton Lodge Company have spanned a wide range of enhancements and educational initiatives that connect visitors to Grand Teton and improve resources. These critical projects include the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, the auditorium addition that opened in 2011, and trail restoration. 

“To work on behalf of the park is a true honor,” Mattson said, “and the relationships we form with partners like Grand Teton Lodge Company are one of the main reasons we can bring exceptional projects and programs to the millions who visit each year. Jackson is a community that truly understands the power of giving back. People see a need and it becomes important for them to help solve it.” 

About Grand Teton National Park Foundation 
Established in 1997, Grand Teton National Park Foundation provides private financial support for special projects that enhance and protect Grand Teton National Park’s treasured cultural, historic, and natural resources. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised nearly $23 million for special projects that benefit Grand Teton and visitors. 

About Grand Teton Lodge Company 
With a mission to preserve, protect and inspire, Grand Teton Lodge Company is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service within Grand Teton National Park operating the lodging, restaurants, tours and activities at Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge, Colter Bay Village, Jenny Lake and Gros Ventre campgrounds as well as the Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club, which is located just outside the park in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. www.gtlc.com 

About Grand Teton National Park 
Located in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park preserves a spectacular landscape rich with majestic mountains, pristine lakes and extraordinary wildlife. The park's world-renowned scenery attracts nearly four million visitors per year and offers an array of recreational activities for all ages and all abilities.

TravelStorysGPS Launches an APP for an APP Promotion with Four Local Restaurants in Support of Conservation

Get a Free Appetizer with Your Next Meal!

JACKSON, Wyoming (September 10, 2012) – TravelStorysGPS, an innovative iPhone® and iPad® application, is announcing an APP for an APP promotion with Rendezvous Bistro and Café Genevieve in Jackson, WY, Spoons Bistro in Victor, ID and the Mural Room at Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park. For the next six months, receive a FREE appetizer with your meal when you download this FREE app and show the final screenshot at any of the four above-mentioned restaurants. 

Available for free on the App StoreSM, TravelStorysGPS shares educational and entertaining stories on four StoryChannels: History and Community, Geography and Landscape, Fun for Kids and Public Access. Locals and visitors alike can use the app to enhance their enjoyment of the landscapes of Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park by listening to great stories about pioneers, climbers and legends, with interesting facts, little-known narratives, and colorful local history across the generations. Amid the narratives of Jackson Hole’s human history and natural environment, app users will hear the rich story of the valley’s conservation legacy. The Public Access StoryChannel taps into the community’s love of storytelling, encouraging users to share their own personal experiences along designated routes. Photos, graphics, maps, and links to additional resources on the TravelStorysGPS website create a multimedia user experience alongside the audio stories.  

TravelStorysGPS launched with two pilot routes, both based in Jackson Hole: Wyoming State Highway 22 between the town of Jackson and the Idaho state line is presented by the Jackson Hole Land Trust, and the Teton Park Road in Grand Teton National Park, between Moose and Jackson Lake Lodge, is presented by Grand Teton National Park Foundation. Along each route, users are invited to make a small donation to the presenting nonprofit organization that is working to protect the scenic views and wildlife habitats. This gift is made possible by a partnership with Mobile Giving Foundation and Give by Cell and is conveniently charged on the user’s next phone bill. At the end of each route, in both directions, users can dine at one of four restaurant sponsors and claim a free appetizer with their meal by showing the last screenshot of the app. 

“Learning more about our valley is not just for visitors,” said Story Clark, who developed the app. “Even for locals who drive these routes daily, many of the stories will be new and will strengthen our connection to and love of the spectacular land around us. To further benefit conservation of this area, four of our great restaurants are generously offering a free appetizer.” 

Gavin Fine, owner of Fine Dining Restaurant Group, including Rendezvous Bistro, states, "Having a knowledgeable guide makes your experience with anything that much more enjoyable. Just like our servers act as tour guides of our restaurants and the food world, TravelStoryGPS does the same with our community and the great world of conservation, history and geography." 

Adds Travis Brittingham, owner of Spoons Bistro, "We drive over to Jackson all the time and have really enjoyed listening to the Highway 22 stories on the app. We're excited to share it with folks that come in to Spoons and are heading over the Pass, so they can enjoy the stories - and a free appetizer - on both sides of the Pass." 

Fred Peightal, owner of Café Genevieve, captures the philanthropic sentiment of all the restaurant partners. “Café Genevieve knows the power of history firsthand, as it’s located in a log cabin built in the early 1900s that served as Jackson’s mercantile. We are thrilled to support TravelStorysGPS in bringing alive the many stories of Grand Teton and Jackson.” 

The App for an App promotion will run for 6 months. One per party allowed. 

Conservation Consulting plans to work with conservation organizations around the country to create their own audio tours, which will also be available on the TravelStorysGPS app. This collaborative approach will enable TravelStorysGPS to expand its offered travel routes across the United States and to connect more people to the land and to its conservation through the power of story. TravelStorysGPS users will receive notifications of updated content and new StoryRoute offerings as they become available. 

To download the free app, visit the App Store here(http://itunes.com/apps/travelstorysgps). The TravelStorysGPS team welcomes your feedback at feedback@travelstorysgps.com. For more information, visit www.TravelStorysGPS.com. 

About Grand Teton National Park Foundation 

Grand Teton National Park Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to fund projects that protect and enhance Grand Teton National Park’s treasured resources. By funding initiatives that go beyond what the NPS could accomplish on its own, the Foundation initiates improvements, critical research, and projects that enhance visitors’ experiences, creating a solid future for Grand Teton. To learn more about Grand Teton National Park Foundation, visit www.gtnpf.org or follow the organization’s daily updates at www.twitter.com/GrandTetonFdn and www.facebook/gtnpf. 

About the Jackson Hole Land Trust 

The Jackson Hole Land Trust is a private, non-profit organization that was established in 1980 to preserve open space and the critical wildlife habitat, magnificent scenic vistas, and historic ranching heritage of Jackson Hole. By working cooperatively with the owners of the area’s privately owned open lands, the Jackson Hole Land Trust has ensured the permanent protection of over 22,000 acres in and around Jackson Hole and the Greater Yellowstone Area. For more information please visit www.jhlandtrust.org. 

About Conservation Consulting 

Conservation Consulting is a small, national consulting firm based in Wilson, Wyoming, that works with land conservation organizations to identify and develop innovative markets and sources of funding for land protection and stewardship. 

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THE COCA-COLA COMPANY GRANTS FUNDING TO SUPPORT GRAND TETON YOUTH TRAIL CREW

The Coca-Cola Company has awarded Grand Teton National Park Foundation $25,000 to support ten weeks of trail repair and historic site maintenance in Grand Teton National Park through the Youth Conservation Program, a privately funded summer work-and-learn opportunity for 16 to 19-year-olds that operates each summer. The program began in June with twenty-two participants who are accomplishing hands-on work in the park in exchange for a unique education and outdoor adventure. The Coca-Cola Company offers competitive grants that focus on active, healthy living and programs that connect youth to the outdoors. Funding will be used to advance this ongoing program that is currently in its seventh season.

“This is the second year Coca-Cola has partnered with the Foundation to bring students into nature to enjoy unique experiences,” Foundation President Leslie Mattson said. “There’s a national movement to encourage young people to be active outdoors, and Coca-Cola has a long history of funding community outdoor programs and projects in national parks. This partnership not only provides the resources we need to keep our youth trail crew working in the park, but our story reaches a wider audience and that’s how great ideas grow.”

Nearly 120 students have participated in Youth Conservation Program since it started in 2006. What began as a small community experiment with thirteen teens has grown into a popular outdoor institution that attracts applicants from across the country. The teen crew fills a unique niche in the park as it tackles trail-related projects and other needs, and mentors teach job skills, introduce National Park Service jobs, and help participants develop a conservation ethic.

“Coca-Cola has a longstanding commitment to environmental sustainability and encouraging active, healthy lifestyles,” said Quinton Martin, vice president of community marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “Students that participate in the Grand Teton National Park Foundation’s Youth Conservation Program spend their summers learning about the importance of conservation and building life-long habits through outdoor activities and adventures.”

Not only does the program creatively solve challenges in Grand Teton, it is part of a long-term strategy to introduce a younger audience to the park and outdoor recreation. Youth Conservation Program is privately funded by Foundation donors and has contributed more than 48,000 hours to Grand Teton National Park to accomplish projects that would not be completed otherwise.

To learn more about Grand Teton National Park Foundation and Youth Conservation Program, visit www.gtnpf.org or follow the organization’s daily updates at www.twitter.com/GrandTetonFdn
 and www.facebook/gtnpf.

TravelStorysGPS Launches Innovative Smartphone App That Connects People to Land with Engaging Audio Stories and Promotes Outreach and Funding for Conservation

JACKSON, Wyoming (August 17, 2012) – TravelStorysGPS, an innovative iPhone® and iPad® application, is being released today by conservation finance expert, Story Clark of locally-based Conservation Consulting, and nonprofit partners Grand Teton National Park Foundation and the Jackson Hole Land Trust.  The first of its kind, this multi-media, GPS-triggered app connects travelers to the landscapes around them in real time and raises money for land conservation via mobile giving.

Available for free on the App Store^SM, TravelStorysGPS shares educational and entertaining stories on four StoryChannels: History and Community, Geography and Landscape, Fun for Kids and Public Access.  Locals and visitors alike can use the app to connect to the landscapes around them by listening to local legends, interesting facts, little-known narratives, and colorful local history across the generations.  Amid the narratives of Jackson Hole’s human history and natural environment, the rich story of the valley’s conservation legacy is also told.  The Public Access StoryChannel taps into the community’s love of storytelling, encouraging users to share their own personal experiences along designated routes.  Photos, graphics, maps, and links to additional resources on the TravelStorysGPS website create a multimedia user experience alongside the audio stories. 

TravelStorysGPS is launching with two pilot routes, both based in Jackson Hole: Wyoming State Highway 22 between the town of Jackson and the Idaho state line is presented by the Jackson Hole Land Trust, and the Teton Park Road in Grand Teton National Park, between Moose and Jackson Lake Lodge, is presented by Grand Teton National Park Foundation.  Along each route, users are invited to make a donation to the nonprofit organization working to protect the scenic views they are enjoying, through partnership with Mobile Giving Foundation and Give by Cell.  This gift is conveniently charged on the user’s next phone bill.  Leslie A. Mattson, president of Grand Teton National Park Foundation, stated, "As an organization that works to support the park, we are very excited to test this new way to reach out to visitors and teach them about this magnificent place as they drive through."

“Each stretch of highway, each parcel of land, has a unique story.  We hope that, using new mobile phone app technology, TravelStorysGPS app tours will brings these stories to life along the roads of Jackson Hole, and, close to my heart, share the stories of the generous, and often dramatic, acts of land conservation in our valley,” said Story Clark, who developed the app. “Even for locals who drive these routes daily, many of the stories will be new and will strengthen our connection to and love of the spectacular land around us.”

“Director Jon Jarvis has outlined a vision for the National Park Service that seeks to make our agency relevant in the 21st century,” stated Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott. “The new app produced by Grand Teton National Park Foundation, Jackson Hole Land Trust and Conservation Consulting meets one of the many action items identified in this key NPS initiative: to reach new audiences and develop a conversation through mobile technology and other user-friendly social media."  Superintendent Scott added, "We applaud these conservation organizations for their innovative app that serves up a mix of park facts with personal stories and shares the fascinating story of Grand Teton National Park and its enduring impact on people’s lives."

Echoing those sentiments, Jackson Hole Land Trust’s Executive Director Laurie Andrews said, “TravelStorysGPS is a wonderful tool to connect travelers and locals alike with the work that we do to protect the valley’s scenic view sheds, wildlife habitat, and working agricultural lands.  We hope that seeing our conservation successes along Highway 22 first-hand will inspire them to play a part in land conservation in our valley.”

Conservation Consulting plans to partner with conservation organizations around the country to help them create their own TravelStorys tours and content.  This partnership approach will enable TravelStorysGPS to expand its offered travel routes across the United States and continue to connect people to the land and to its conservation through the power of story. TravelStorysGPS users will receive notifications of updated content and new StoryRoute offerings as they become available.   

To download the free app, visit the App Store here (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/travelstorysgps/id543710299?ls=1&mt=8).

The TravelStorysGPS team welcomes your feedback at feedback@travelstorysgps.com.  For more information, visit www.TravelStorysGPS.com.

About Jackson Hole Land Trust

The Jackson Hole Land Trust is a private, non-profit organization that was established in 1980 to preserve open space and the critical wildlife habitat, magnificent scenic vistas, and historic ranching heritage of Jackson Hole. By working cooperatively with the owners of the area’s privately owned open lands, the Jackson Hole Land Trust has ensured the permanent protection of over 22,000 acres in and around Jackson Hole and the Greater Yellowstone Area. For more information please visit www.jhlandtrust.org.

 

About Grand Teton National Park Foundation

Grand Teton National Park Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to fund projects that protect and enhance Grand Teton National Park’s treasured resources.  By funding initiatives that go beyond what the NPS could accomplish on its own, the Foundation initiates improvements, critical research, and projects that enhance visitors’ experiences, creating a solid future for Grand Teton.  To learn more about Grand Teton National Park Foundation, visit www.gtnpf.org or follow the organization’s daily updates at www.twitter.com/GrandTetonFdn and www.facebook/gtnpf. 

About Conservation Consulting

Conservation Consulting is a small, national consulting firm based in Wilson, Wyoming, that works with land conservation organizations to identify and develop innovative markets and sources of funding for land protection and stewardship.

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The North Face Awards Explore Fund Grant to Grand Teton National Park Foundation

Youth Conservation Program supports a national effort to increase outdoor exploration among youth in Grand Teton National Park

 Jackson, Wyoming, June 18, 2012—The North Face, has awarded an Explore Fund grant to Grand Teton National Park Foundation for Youth Conservation Program (YCP), a teen trail crew that begins a ten-week season today in Grand Teton National Park. The Explore Fund’s mission is to inspire and enable the next generation of explorers by funding nonprofit organizations that are working to reconnect children with nature. By encouraging an active healthy lifestyle and protection of our natural landscapes, a stronger connection of youth to the outdoors can be nurtured. Grand Teton National Park Foundation, Grand Teton National Park’s fundraising partner, brings young people into the park in an effort to build the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and wilderness stewards.  Grand Teton National Park Foundation was selected from over five hundred applications submitted for the first of two grant cycles in 2012, because this valuable program provides a unique outdoor education for approximately twenty teens each summer while they complete much needed trail and historic site projects that significantly improve park resources. Since The Explore Fund was initiated in 2010, The North Face has provided $625,000 in grants to nonprofits working to connect youth to the outdoors.

“The Foundation is proud to be a part of the greater movement to immerse youth in our parks and to help them understand the importance of wilderness,” Leslie Mattson, the Foundation’s president, says.  “Funding from the North Face Explore Fund and many other donors is critical to bringing the youth trail crew to Grand Teton for another year.  This program addresses real needs in the park while introducing stewardship and the greater issues facing protected lands today.”

YCP was established in 2006 to provide a unique summer employment opportunity for young people in Grand Teton while also teaching about park history, natural resources, outdoor recreation, and a wealth of other topics.  The program reaches 16-19-year-olds, and their improvement projects have enhanced the experience of millions of park visitors each year.  YCP has provided more than 42,000 hours of valuable labor on park trails and historic sites—work that would not have been accomplished otherwise.  Since the Initiative’s founding, nearly 130 young people have been immersed in outdoor adventures and received a unique wilderness education.  The program also focuses heavily on youth development and includes leadership opportunities, mentoring, and teamwork and is unlike any other offered in the region due to the hands-on experiences and the potential for advancement into the park’s leadership academy and possible employment in the future. 

In addition, Grand Teton National Park Foundation has been able to advance this program exponentially with the support of it partner, Grand Teton National Park, and many funding partners.  Grand Teton recruits the students and trail crew leaders spend each day with the crew in the field, providing guidance and developing relationships.  Other park divisions also work with the crew to teach students about search-and-rescue services, fire, backcountry safety, and many other park-related topics.  This program would not be possible without generous individual, corporate, and foundation gifts and grants that bring critical funding each year to assure YCP will have the resources it needs to operate effectively.

“The Outdoor Foundation has identified that a barrier to getting youth outdoors is lack of opportunity for kids to learn about and actually get to outdoors. We believe this has to happen at a grass roots, community level,” said Ann Krcik, director of Outdoor Participation at The North Face. “During the granting process, we make a conscious effort to reflect on what we refer to as the virtuous cycle. We first need to provide the opportunity for kids to get outside and play. If we can provide them with an initial positive experience outdoors, they will grow up inspired to care about their natural world.”

The YCP trail crew operates each June to August. To learn more about Grand Teton National Park Foundation and YCP visit www.gtnpf.org.  For more information about The North Face Explore Fund, please visit www.explorefund.org

About Grand Teton National Park Foundation

Grand Teton National Park Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to fund projects that protect and enhance Grand Teton National Park’s treasured resources.  By funding initiatives that go beyond what the NPS could accomplish on its own, the Foundation initiates improvements, critical research, and projects that enhance visitors’ experiences, creating a solid future for Grand Teton.

About The North Face®

The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company’s products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.

About PlanetExplore

PlanetExplore is an online community founded by The North Face, powered by partner organizations that share a passion for the outdoors, and designed to help individuals and families learn about and participate in outdoor activities and events in their area. PlanetExplore is a portal to the outdoors designed to inspire and enable people of all ages to become regularly active outside, and to enjoy the benefits gained through a connection to nature. 

Private Donors Fund a Range of Projects in Grand Teton

JACKSON, WY—Grand Teton National Park Foundation, the primary fundraising partner for Grand Teton National Park, gifted nearly $1 million to the park in the past twelve months to fund projects and programming in Grand Teton.  Through private support, the Foundation enabled an extensive list of visitor service, education, and improvement projects and assisted the park in offering high-quality interpretation, recreation, and education to visitors in an era when federal budgets are strained.  The Foundation funded the work entirely through generous gifts from the organization’s national network of donors.

The projects spanned a wide range of enhancements and education that connect visitors to Grand Teton and improve resources:

• Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center auditorium.
• Www.DiscoverGrandTeton.org, a user-friendly website that promotes Grand Teton’s history, geology, and wild communities.
• A teen trail crew made up of 16 to 19-year-olds, a Latino outreach program for middle and high-school students, and leadership and internship programs for diverse high-school and college students.
• Seventy-one bear-resistant food storage boxes for park campsites.
• Critical funding for wildlife research that focuses on a wide variety of park species.
• An air quality monitoring station on the Kelly campus of Teton Science Schools that was a collaboration with Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, NPS, the Foundation, and Teton Sciences Schools.
• Water bottle refilling stations in eight locations in the park.
• Whitebark pine restoration.

“It’s been a terrific year and we are thrilled to fund work across many areas that are important to the park and to visitors,” Foundation President Leslie Mattson said.  “It was a great achievement to put the finishing touch on the visitor center and to know that the park’s expanded programming will reach millions of people.  I continue to be thankful for local as well as part-time residents who want to be involved in strengthening Grand Teton.  We couldn’t be successful without each and every donor who cares about the park.”

“We would be hard pressed to accomplish some of our critical projects and programs without generous support from partners like the Grand Teton National Park Foundation,” said Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott. “We’re grateful for the Foundation’s remarkable work and commitment on key initiatives such as wildlife and air quality research, youth programs, trail maintenance, and construction of the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Together we’ll further Grand Teton’s core mission and protect park resources while providing valuable experiences and enjoyment for park visitors well into the future.”

About the Foundation

Established in 1997, Grand Teton National Park Foundation provides private financial support for special projects that enhance and protect Grand Teton National Park’s treasured cultural, historic, and natural resources.  Since its inception, the Foundation has raised more than $20 million for special projects that benefit Grand Teton and visitors.

About Grand Teton National Park

Located in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park preserves a spectacular landscape rich with majestic mountains, pristine lakes and extraordinary wildlife. The park's world-renowned scenery attracts nearly four million visitors per year and offers an array of recreational activities for all ages and all abilities.

Video Release: New Series Highlights the Wonders of Grand Teton

NEW VIDEO SERIES HIGHLIGHTS GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

Local videographer captures the visual wonders of Grand Teton 

Jackson, Wyoming – March 6, 2012 – Grand Teton National Park Foundation is pleased to announce the release of a new video featuring some of the year’s most spectacular footage of natural phenomena in Grand Teton National Park.   Day and Night in Grand Teton is the first of four videos in a new series, From Valley to Peak.  The films were recently completed by Jackson-based videographers Jesse Ryan and Ryan Christopher of New Thought Media on behalf of Grand Teton National Park Foundation and Grand Teton Association.

The project was commissioned in an effort to highlight the natural wonders of Grand Teton through a medium that is both contemporary and accessible.  The four minute videos showcase a selection of striking natural occurrences through artfully captured landscapes, time-lapses and insightful narration.  To view Day and Night in Grand Teton, visit www.gtnpf.org.  The three additional videos will be released on a monthly basis in April, May and June and can be viewed on our website. 

“Our effort to connect people to the park and to educate them about this amazing resource remains one of the most important components of our mission at the Foundation,” says Foundation president Leslie Mattson.  “Projects like this are a great way to spread the wonders of Grand Teton to national park lovers far and wide.”

The video series is one of the most recent Foundation-funded projects and echoes the organization’s overall mission to fund initiatives that go beyond what the National Park Service could accomplish on its own.  Since 1997, the organization has raised more than $20 million for education-based capital projects, work-and-learn programs that reconnect youth to nature, and wildlife research and protection.

GTNPF Welcomes New Board and Resource Council Members

LOCAL LEADERS AMONG RECENT ADDITIONS TO LEADERSHIP TEAM

AT GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

Fundraising group for Grand Teton National Park welcomes new Board and

Resource Council Members

Jackson, Wyoming – February 10, 2012 -- Grand Teton National Park Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of new members to its Board of Directors and Resource Council.  Nancy Donovan, Lisa Fleischman, Chris Hartley, Mark Newcomb, and Tom Saylak have joined the Foundation Board, and Andrea Bent and Ron Harrison are the newest members of the Resource Council.  The group brings significant and varied experience to the Foundation as it executes its mission to provide financial support for projects that enhance and protect Grand Teton’s treasured resources.

“We are delighted to welcome such a dynamic group to a leadership team that is arguably one of our strongest yet,” said Foundation President Leslie Mattson.  “Our board and resource council members maintain valuable communication channels between Grand Teton National Park and its local and national constituents, and we look forward to further growth under their guidance and support."

Many of the new members have strong ties to the Jackson community, including involvement with local organizations and businesses ranging from mountain climbing to the hospitality industry. 

Nancy Donovan is chairman of Oakmont Partners, LLC., a private investment firm.  She is on the board of Lee Enterprises and the Jackson Hole Community School. Nancy and her husband David have owned property in Jackson for over 18 years.

Lisa Fleischman has worked for nearly 30 years in philanthropy and in nonprofit management at the National Gallery of Art and as a fund-raising consultant to nonprofits across the globe.  With her husband, Chuck, and their children, Lisa divides her time between Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Teton Village, Wyoming.

Chris Hartley, originally from southeast Kansas, retired in 1999 and with her husband, Ross, made Teton Village, Wyoming, her full time home.  Before moving to the Valley, she was active as a critical nurse instructor and nurse consultant in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.  Here in Jackson, she also serves on Grand Teton Music Festival’s board of directors.

Mark Newcomb is a Jackson native and a part owner of Exum Mountain Guides. He worked extensively in Grand Teton National Park throughout his guiding and mountaineering career, ski guiding in Alaska and France and leading expeditions all over the world.  He has also worked in marketing at Marmot and recently completed a dual Masters in Economics and Finance at the University of Wyoming.

Tom Saylak is president and CEO of Teewinot Holdings, a private family investment office.  Tom spent 25 years in the commercial real estate business before retiring in 2006.  He and his wife, Laurie, have been visiting Jackson with their families since the 1960s and purchased their own home near Moose in 1998.  Tom is an avid golfer, sailor and fly fisherman.

Andrea Bent’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility began in the early 1990s while she was pursuing her undergraduate education in Political Science and her JD in Chicago.  Her career has encompassed law, finance and significant pro bono work.  Andrea moved to Jackson with her husband and daughter in 2004.  She teaches yoga part time at studios in Jackson and Wilson. 

Ron Harrison first visited Grand Teton as a child with his parents in the 1940s. In 1980 he acquired a small farm near Victor, Idaho, and built a second home for his family and moved to Jackson full time in 1990 to build and operate the Rusty Parrot Lodge.  He and his wife, Sandy, spend part of the year in the Hill Country of Texas just outside of Austin.

About Grand Teton National Park Foundation

Grand Teton National Park Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to fund projects that protect and enhance Grand Teton National Park’s treasured resources.  By funding initiatives that go beyond what the NPS could accomplish on its own, the Foundation initiates improvements, critical research, and projects that enhance visitors’ experiences, creating a solid future for Grand Teton.  Since 1997, the organization has raised more than $20 million for education-based capital projects, work-and-learn programs that connect youth to nature, and wildlife research and protection.

To learn more about Grand Teton National Park Foundation, visit www.gtnpf.org or follow the organization’s daily updates at www.twitter.com/GrandTetonFdn and www.facebook/gtnpf. 

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