Kalamazoo Nature Center leader next up in Keystone series
KALAMAZOO鈥擳he president and CEO of the Kalamazoo Nature Center will share his insights on the business paradigm shift for nature centers as Western Michigan University continues its 2012-13 Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series this month.
Willard "Bill" Rose will speak at 8 a.m. Friday, May 31, in the Dean's Conference Room of Schneider Hall, delivering a presentation titled "The New Business Paradigm for Nature Centers."
The event is free and open to the public and begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (269) 387-6059 or emailing kayla.j.hunt@wmich.edu. Free parking is available in the nearby Fetzer Center lot.
Bill Rose
Rose, who has been president and CEO of the nature center since 1988, is responsible for an annual budget of more than $2.4 million and leads more than 40 staff members. He has led the Nature Center through three growth campaigns that have totaled more than $15 million.
In addition to his duties at the nature center, Rose provides management and programmatic consulting services to nature centers throughout the United States.
Rose earned his doctoral degree in plant ecology from Michigan State University and started his career as a research specialist and plant ecologist at the Nature Conservancy in Michigan, where he also served as regional director of stewardship for the southeast region.
Rose serves as secretary and treasurer for the Southwest Michigan Sustainable Business Forum. In addition, he is a member of the board for Discover Kalamazoo. He recently completed seven years of service on the National Board of the Association of Nature Center Administrators where he served as Treasurer. In the past, Rose has served on the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Interpretation Advisory Committee and the Michigan State Parks Strategic Planning Committee on Interpretation.
Rose is the recipient of the 2010 Nature Center Leadership Award from the Association of Nature Center Administrators.
The Kalamazoo Nature Center is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to inspire people to care for the environment by providing experiences that lead them to understand their connection to the natural world.
About the series
The Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series provides an opportunity for the local community to hear top business leaders and 51福利社 faculty, alumni and friends of the Haworth College of Business discuss current topics of interest.
This season's final Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker presentation will take place June 28 with a talk by Dr. Sharon Carlson, 51福利社 director of archives and regional history.