Nonprofit Administrator, Fundraiser, Consultant, Speaker, Historian, Educator, Researcher, Writer

Qualifications & Work Experience

Director, Major and Planned Giving, for a national nonprofit organization. Administrator of three nonprofit organizations. Seventeen years teaching experience, with sixteen at the college level. Historical research, editing, and writing, with numerous articles, chapters, reviews, and four books published. National park ranger and seasonal supervisor in forest fire fighting, search, and rescue.

2012 – 2018

Director, Intermountain Region
Director, Major and Planned Giving
National Park Foundation, Washington, DC

1985 – 2011

Executive Director — Administration, Publishing, Seminars
Rocky Mountain Nature Association, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, CO

Executive Director (until merger) — Administration, Fund Raising
Rocky Mountain National Park Associates, Estes Park, CO

Co-founder, Director (until merger) — Administration
Rocky Mountain Heritage Society, Estes Park, CO

1963 – 1985

Seasonal Ranger; Supervisory Forestry Technician
Glacier National Park, West Glacier, MT 

1976 – 1984   

Researcher, Writer, Editor
World Wide Publishing, Casper, WY

1984 – 1985

Instructor
Glacier Institute, East Glacier, MT

1969 – 1984

History Professor, History Department Coordinator
Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, CO

1984

Lecturer
Metropolitan State College, Denver, CO

1968 – 1969

Teaching Assistant
University of Montana, Missoula, MT

1966 – 1967

Instructor of History
Neenah High School, Neenah, WI

Education

  • Additional graduate studies in History, University of Colorado, Boulder, 1972
  • M.A. in History, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 1969
  • B.A. in History, Lawrence University, Appleton, WI, 1966
  • Graduate, Berlin High School, Berlin, WI, 1962

Administration of Nonprofit Organizations 1985 – 2014

Current Position
Director, Major and Planned Giving (February 2012 – present)
Initial employment with the National Park Foundation began as Regional Director, Intermountain Region, serving as the sole field representative for the Foundation in the West. Currently, as Director, Major and Planning Giving, duties include: a) soliciting and closing major gifts; b) cultivating and engaging new prospects; c) donor relations throughout the annual giving cycle; d) familiarity with planned giving vehicles; and e) collaboration with other development team members. Current portfolio includes approximately 125 donors.

Previous employment includes the Rocky Mountain Nature Association. Additional work experience included the Rocky Mountain National Park Associates, the Rocky Mountain Heritage Society, and the Shirley Scrogin Trust. Experience and accomplishments with these organizations include:

Governance
Direct experience includes matters related to policy development, general management, board member recruitment, ethics, communication, legal matters, planning, accountability, budget and fiscal accountability, audits, and reporting.

Business Management
Direct experience with retail and wholesale business within a Federal and state office context; hiring and evaluation of personnel; purchasing and merchandising. Expanded a retail (primarily bookstore) business from $350,000 gross sales annually to $2.4 million, from three sales outlets to sixty. Direct supervisor of retail manager, inventory managers, accountants and CFO.

Program Management
Direct experience in creating nonprofit programs, including conceptual, budgetary, experimental, promotions, evaluations, and supervision.

Field Seminar Program
Direct experience in planning, advertising, and conducting educational field seminars. Experience in expanding, fundraising, and evaluating outdoor educational programs. Supervised a field seminar program.

Membership
Direct experience in cultivating members, expanding membership participation, promoting membership, communicating effectively, and conducting special membership events. Supervised a membership department.

Publications
Direct experience in the production of books, posters, brochures, cards, and related printed material related to the nonprofit mission. Related experience in budgeting, marketing, and promotion. Supervised a publications department.

Philanthropy
Direct experience in fundraising, including direct asks, annual mailings, special project campaigns, annual appeals, and capital campaigns. Initiated a planned giving program. Supervised a philanthropy department, which raised approximately $30 million in twenty-six years. Initiated three capital campaigns and two challenge grant campaigns.

Institutional Development
Conducted numerous retreats and brainstorming sessions. Enabled the restoration or construction of five buildings related to business, including offices, warehouse, sales outlets, and a seminar center. Increased the capacity of membership oriented activities, including annual picnics, hikes, and special events.

Public Relations
Appeared on radio and television programs, gave dozens of public programs annually, with audiences ranging from school groups to senior citizens.

Accomplishments 1985 – 2011

Projects Completed as Director, Rocky Mountain Nature Association

The role exercised by the Executive Director varied with each project noted below, but required the following:  visioning, strategic planning, budget development, project leadership and implementation, partnership development, donor cultivation, fundraising, communication, grant and report writing, political advocacy, contractor supervision, special event coordination, program implementation, and business and long-term sustainability planning, productivity, and accountability.

Land Protection
a) Jennings Tract purchase, $78,000, 1985; b) Baldpate purchase, $20,000, 1990; c) Roessler Tract purchase, $415,000, 1998; d) Adams Tract purchase, $280,000, 1999; e) Lily Lake Water Rights, 2000, $60,000; f) Sleepy Hollow, $315,248, 2002; g) Enos Mills easement, $54,136, 2002; h) Miller Tract purchase, $1.02 million, 2002; i) Fahy Tract purchase, $846,000, 2005; j) Kueker Tract purchase, $600,000, 2007; k) Owen-McMahon Tract purchase, $300,000, 2008; l) McGowan Tract, $18,100, 2009; m) Crane Trust Tract, 2009

Visitor Centers & Exhibits
a) Kawuneeche Visitor Center addition, $228,755, 1990; b) KVC exhibits, $81,990; c) Moraine Park Museum exhibits, $244,000, 1993; d) Lily Lake Visitor Center exhibits, $158,700, 1993; e) Beaver Ponds boardwalk signs, $10,000, 1994; f) Fall River Visitor Center construction, $1.43 million, 2000; g) Fall River Visitor Center exhibits, $533,693

Historical Restoration
a) Shadow Mountain Lookout, $43,814, 1996; b) William Allen White cabins, $140,884, 1998; c) Quarters 48, $160,000, 1997; d) Never Summer Ranch cabins, $86,000, 1999; e) McGraw Ranch cabins, $167,090, 2002; f) Wigwam Tea Room, $58,000, 2005; Outbuildings, $59,000, 2007

Improvements
a) HQ irrigation system, $4,295, 1994; b) Greenhouse, $84,328, 1995; c) North Longs Peak bridge, $5,975, 1999; d) Seminar Center, $926,000, 2000; e) Adams Falls overlook, $91,000, 2001; f) Endovalley picnic area, $62,700, 2004; g) Lily Lake restroom, $65,447, 2004; h) Automatic External Defibrillators, $66,000, 2006; i) Timber Creek Amphitheater, $531,000, 2006; j) Fall River Visitor Center maintenance, $39,900, 2006-2008; k) Rocky Mountain Field Seminar bus, $76,000, 2011

Trails
a) Beaver Ponds Boardwalk, $35,000, 1985; b) Coyote Valley, $109,764, 1994; c) Lily Lake, $225,507, 1997; d) Sprague Lake, $249,280, 2000; e) Bear Lake, $234,290, 2000; f) Lily/Storm Pass, $136,000, 2001; g) Mills/Black, $205,000, 2002; h) Loch/Sky, $342,311, 2006; i) Lake Irene, $122,000, 2006; j) Alberta Falls/Lake Haiyaha, $470,588 (fundraising underway)

Special Programs
a) Leslie Fidel Bailey fellowship, $160,000, 1994-ongoing; b) American Conservation Corps, $250,000, 2003-ongoing; c) Howland and Olson Fellowships-2004 ongoing; d) Publications; e) Endowments; f) Next Generation Fund, $11,000,000 (fundraising underway)

Advocacy 1985 – 2011

The role of Executive Director required the advocacy of issues related to nonprofit organizations working within the Federal government. That required several meetings annually with members of Congress, with Federal officials at the Regional and Washington offices, and occasionally included testimony before Congressional committees. Policy issues related to nonprofits or philanthropy required multiple meetings annually with Federal and Congressional representatives, working in tandem with fellow nonprofit leaders. Service as the President of the National Park Friends Alliance required acting as a spokesperson for executive directors nationwide in matters related to legislation and Federal policy.

Consulting

Activities as a nonprofit consultant, working principally with Federal agency partnerships, included conducting training sessions for nonprofit board and staff members as well as Federal employees. The primary purpose of these consultations was to enhance the nonprofit partnerships nationwide in strategic planning, fundraising, project development, visioning, and capacity building. Being called upon as a consultant, training course designer and instructor by the National Conservation Training Center resulted in dozens of training sessions conducted at Shepherdstown, WV and elsewhere throughout the nation over the past decade, including televised and web-based instruction.

Consultations with National Park Service
Grand Teton National Park; Crater Lake National Park; Redwood National Park; Weir Farm National Historic Site; Adams National Historic Site; Freedom Trail, Boston; Boston Harbor Islands Study; Devils Tower National Monument; Great Sand Dunes National Monument; Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument; Bents Old Fort National Historic Site; Death Valley National Park; Intermountain Region; North Atlantic Region; National Park Foundation; Buffalo National River, Arkansas; NPS Partnership Training; Petrified Forest National Park; NPS Fundamentals Training

Consultations with U.S. Forest Service
White River National Forest; Bighorn National Forest; Picketwire Canyonlands; Roosevelt National Forest; USFS Visitor Center Directors’ Symposium, Nebraska City, Nebraska, Rocky Mountain Regional Office; USFS Partnership Training

Consultations with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
National Mentoring Team; Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge; Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge; Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Wisconsin; Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Illinois; Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, Maine; Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, Indiana; Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge and Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, California; Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri; Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado; Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona; Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Roswell, New Mexico

Consultations with Bureau of Land Management
BLM Partnership Course, Las Vegas, Nevada; Yaquina Lighthouse, Newport, Oregon; Ironwood Forest National Monument, Tucson, Arizona; Oregon Trail Center, Baker City, Oregon; McGinnis Canyon National Monument, Grand Junction, Colorado

Consultations with Non-Federal Sites or Organizations
City of Colorado Springs; Town of Eagle; Colorado State Parks; Friends of Garden Park; Friends of Arrowhead Lodge; Friends of Garden of the Gods; Island Alliance, Boston; National Interpretive Association; Florida National Trail Association; Irvine Ranch Land Reserve, Irvine, California

Consultations with Foreign National Parks

  • Parks Canada, Banff and Bar U Ranch, Alberta, Canada
  • Hohen Tauren National Park, Austria
  • National Parks of Panama

Publications

Books

  • Man in Glacier — Glacier Natural History Association, West Glacier, MT, 1976
  • Rocky Mountain National Park: A History — Colorado Associated University Press, Boulder, CO, 1983

Co-Authored Books

  • Littleton, Colorado:  Settlement to Centennial (with Robert J. McQuarie) — Littleton Historical Museum, Littleton, CO, 1990
  • Yosemite National Park. A Photographic and Comprehensive Guide (Photography by Michael D. Yandell, text by C.W. Buchholtz.) — National Parkways, Casper, WY, 1989

Chapters

  • “Canyon de Chelly: Monument to Native American Culture” (pp. 5-25) and “Touring Mesa Verde” (pp. 61-69) and “Hovenweep: The Deserted Valley” (pp. 70-88) in Mesa Verde:  National Parkways, 1987.
  • “Glacier National Park”, in The Sierra Club Guide to the National Parks of the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains, Irene Pavitt and Donald Young, eds. (N.Y.: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, Inc., 1984), pp. 34-69.
  • “Historical Sketch of Yellowstone,” Yellowstone National Park: National Parkways, 1976, pp. 5-19.
  • “Introduction,” in Colorado On My Mind, (Helena, MT: Falcon Press, 1995).
  • “Peopling the Park,” in Glacier Country: Montana’s Glacier National Park, Mark Thompson, ed. (Helena, Mt.: Montana Magazine, Inc., 1983), pp. 26-37.  (Revised edition, 1990)
  • “Prehistoric People of the Park” and “Rocky Mountain History: Brief and Bizarre” and “The Hiker’s View” in Rocky Mountain National Park: National Parkways, 1986, pp. 8-17 ff.
  • “Waterton-Glacier, A Human History,” Glacier National Park: National Parkways, 1974, pp. 6-10.

Articles

  • “Adios, Ed,” [A Tribute to Edward Abbey], Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol.4,No.3 (May-June 1989), pp. 16-18.
  • “A Golden Gate to the Rockies,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol.3, No.2 (Winter 1988), pp. 21-23.
  • “Author Digs Deep…,” [Book Review], Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol.4, No.5 (Sept.-Oct. 1989), p. 33.
  • “Glacier National Park,” in Encyclopedia of American Forest and Conservation History, Richard C. Davis, ed. (N.Y.: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1983), Vol. 1, pp. 270-271.
  • “Indian Peaks Guide…” [Book Review], Peak to Peak Magazine, (July-August 1989), p. 37.
  • “James B. Thompson: Park Boss Wages A Quiet Crusade,” Peak to Peak Magazine. (Sept.-Oct. 1987), pp. 51-52.
  • “Mountain Hopper: Jim Kruger,” Montana Magazine, May-June 1980, pp. 84-85.
  • “Mountain Mishaps…And How to Avoid Them,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol.3, No.3 (May-June 1988), pp. 21-22 ff.
  • “No Trail Too Steep: The Dream and Reality of Recreation in Our National Parks,” Journal of the West, Vol. 17 (July 1978), pp. 95-106.
  • “On the Road in Northern New Mexico,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 4 (July-Aug. 1989), pp. 67-68.
  • “Over the Hill in Grand Lake,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol.3, No. 4 (July-August 1988), pp. 59-60.
  • “Paradise Founded: The Beginnings of Rocky Mountain National Park,” Colorado Heritage. 1984, No. 1, pp. 2-17.
  • “Public Agencies and the Process of Mountain Resort Development:  Rocky Mountain National Park and the Town of Estes Park,” Tourism Recreation Research, Vol. 18(1), 1993: 51-54, Centre for Tourism Research and Development, Lucknow, India.
  • “Retiring: Catching Your second Wind,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol. 4, No.4 (June-July 1989), p. 20.
  • “Rocky Mountain National Park: Early Days of a Treasure,” Nostalgia Magazine, Vol.7, No 2 (March-April 1990), pp. 12-20.
  • “Rocky’s Road from Humble Beginnings,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol.4, No.2 (Winter 1989), pp. 15-17.
  • “Summer Staff Shortage Plagues Businesses,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol.3, No.4 (July-August, 1988), p. 63.
  • “The Deadly Peril of Glacier’s Under Toad,” Going-to-the-Sun Magazine, Summer 1982, pp. 39-40.
  • “The Diary of Albert ‘Death-on-the-Trail’ Reynolds, Glacier National Park, 1912-1913,” Montana, The Magazine of Western History, Vol. 35 (Winter 1985), pp. 48-59.
  • “The Ouzel Fire,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol.4, No.5 (Sept.-Oct. 1989), pp.23-24.
  • “Three-Oh-Three A.M.,” Going-to-the-Sun Magazine, Fall 1981, pp. 11-13 ff.
  • “The Last Summer at Lake McDonald,” Montana, The Magazine of Western History, Vol. 26 (October 1976), pp. 22-29.
  • “The National Park as a Playground,” Journal of Sport History, Vol.5 (Winter 1978), pp. 21-36.
  • “The Trails of Glacier National Park,” Montana Magazine, Vol. 9 (Sept.-Oct. 1978), pp. 74-77.
  • “Where is the Great Mountain Author?” Peak to Peak Magazine, Vol. 2 (Summer 1987), pp. 54-57.
  • “William R. Logan and Glacier National Park,” Montana, The Magazine of Western History, Vol. 19 (July 1969), pp. 2-17.

Short Stories

  • “The Lady and the Bear,” Going-to-the-Sun Magazine, Summer 1981, pp. 18-20.
  • “There’s Room to Roam in Rocky,” Peak to Peak Magazine, Sept.-Oct. 1987, pp. 32-33.

Academic Book Reviews

  • of Mesa Verde National Park: Shadows of the Centuries by Duane A Smith in Essays and Monographs in Colorado History, Essays no. 9, 1989, pp. 64-66.
  • of Mexico’s Volcanoes: A Climbing Guide by R.J. Secor in Journal of the West, Vol. 21 (October 1982), pp. 81-82.
  • of Montana’s Many-Splendored Glacierland by Warren Hanna in Journal of Forest History, Vol. 21 (October 1977), pp. 233-234.
  • of Mountain Climber: George B. Bayley, 1840-1894 by  Evelyn Hyman Chase and Lookouts: Firewatchers of the Cascades and Olympics by Ira Spring and Byron Fish in Journal of the West, vol 23, No. 1, January 1984, p. 107.
  • of Roof of the Rockies. A History of Colorado Mountaineering, by William M. Bueler in Journal of the West, (April 1987), pp. 107-108.
  • of Ruxton of the Rockies edited by Leroy R. Hafen and John Otto of Colorado National Monument by Alan J. Kania in Journal of Forest History, Vol. 30 (April 1986), p. 93.

Newspaper Articles & Reviews

  • “‘Copter Pilot Knows His Way Around Glacier Park,” in The Great Falls (Montana) Tribune, 30 November 1980
  • Over 500 book reviews appearing in the Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado) since 1985

Contact

970-231-5353 (c) | Curt.Buchholtz@yahoo.com | P.O. Box 3404 Estes Park, CO 80517