Press Release
From Wild South
Dear Friends, March 24, 2014
On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of Wild South I am pleased to announce that we have hired Pat Byington as our new Executive Director. This announcement comes after many months of searching, analyzing, and deliberating options for new leadership from across the nation. Wild South is on the cusp of a new and exciting era in its evolution as an innovative organization for the advocacy of public lands and biological diversity. Our capacity to move boldly into this new future is dependent upon choosing an exceptional individual with talents, abilities, and a shared vision for great accomplishments. We are confident we have found this individual.
Almost two years ago Wild South’s Board of Directors and staff embarked on a series of evaluations and analyses in order to determine how the organization might fill conservation voids across the southern United States. We discovered that the organization performed very well in many areas but lacked capacity to address the emerging challenges of the 21stcentury. This discovery resulted in the development of a concise roadmap to build our capacity. Since that time we have made adjustments to our internal organization, hired additional staff, and begun shifting our focus to meet these projected long range challenges.
We are certain that Pat is the right person to lead the continuation of our efforts to be a powerful force for public lands, biological diversity, and conservation. Pat comes to us with more than 25 years of experience and accomplishments in the conservation arena. Pat has been instrumental in the development of many landmark conservation victories including the establishment of the Alabama Forever Wild Program. Since 1989, Pat has been a successful environmental nonprofit executive director, fundraiser, administrator, program coordinator, advocate, and communicator.
We would like to thank all of our partners, stakeholders, donors, and friends for their support and encouragement over this period of transition. I also want to take a moment to thank Tracy Davids for her years of dedication and leadership to put Wild South in the strong position we are in today. In the process of filling her very big shoes, we have accomplished much, discovered much about ourselves, and also discovered what a resilient organization Wild South truly is. It has and continues to be a privilege to be a part of this great organization. I am excited about the future and eager to share that experience with you all of you. Please join me in welcoming Pat in his new role at Wild South. Again, thank you for your support, enthusiasm, and friendship.
Warm Regards,
Jeff Hicks, President
Wild South Board of Directors
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