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Community Corner

Earthplace Announces New Executive Director

The Board of Trustees of Earthplace, The Nature Discovery Center announced today the appointment of Tony McDowell as Executive Director of Earthplace, effective October 14, 2013.

 

Tony’s most recent position was Vice President, Sales and Marketing of Finch Paper where he led the strategy for the successful turnaround of this 143-year-old company.  Prior to that, Tony was Vice President, Marketing and Business Development of StoraEnso, the North American arm of a Finnish-based forest products company.  In both of these companies, sustainable development was a key component of success.

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Throughout his business career, Tony has been active in nonprofit organizations.  He was a founding board member of Stepping Stones Museum for Children and served as Board President of The Child Guidance Center of Southern CT.  He has served on the boards of Northeast Community Church, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and on the advisory board of Builders Beyond Borders.  He has also participated in multiple humanitarian missions in Haiti and Swaziland.

Tony is a Norwalk native and Westport resident of many years.  His personal interests in hiking, sailing, and environmental sustainability, combined with his years of experience as a high level executive with expertise in marketing and strategy make him the Board of Trustees’ unanimous choice to lead Earthplace.

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“Tony’s collaborative and results-oriented style, plus his combination of solid, relevant business experience, his expertise in marketing and strategy development, his demonstrated knowledge of nonprofits, and his personal interest in and commitment to environmental education and the natural world make him an ideal leader for Earthplace,” said Julia Mally, President of the Board of Trustees of Earthplace.  “His energy and enthusiasm are infectious and have been demonstrated throughout his career by his professional and volunteer accomplishments.”

“I am thrilled to have been selected as their new leader,” says Tony.  “Earthplace programs and staff are highly regarded and the land, nursery school and Harbor Watch programs are great assets for Westport and the surrounding towns. I look forward to teaming up with members of the Earthplace family and local communities to enhance this vital resource.”

The national search and executive transition process for Earthplace was led by Third Sector New England www.tsne.org, Executive Transition Consultant Donna Zalichin and Interim Leader Consultant Marie Dalton-Meyer.  Third Sector New England is a nonprofit organization providing consulting and management resources to help nonprofits better meet their mission and deepen their community impact.

About Earthplace:

The mission of Earthplace is to build a passion in our community for nature and the environment through education, experience and action.  Founded in 1958 and accredited by The American Alliance of Museums, the nonprofit organization maintains a 62-acre wildlife sanctuary with trails, contains an interactive natural history museum, houses live wildlife for public viewing and hosts many public nature programs and events for children and adults. Other activities include a state-licensed and accredited nursery school, summer day camp, a live animal hall and the Harbor Watch water quality testing program.  Earthplace also stewards four additional parcels of open space in Westport, including the 22-acre Partrick Wetlands.

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