Thanks to Two Guiding Lights

(Todd Allen roasting Ned and Bob; also in photo are Ned's wife Kathin and Board member Sharon Anderson: photo by Karla Dutton)

This week the ASLC Board commemorated and celebrated the contributions of two remarkable men. Dr Robert Spies and Dr Ned Smith. Both have worked with the SeaLife Center for more than 20 years combined in various roles. Both have served as Board chairs. Both were recruited to the Board by Willard Dunham.

Most recently Ned served as interim President and CEO (9 months) and Bob as Interim Director of Science (18 months) - they came to work in the organization during a period of great change and played key roles in strengthening our programs - roles that I have a unique appreciation for having now seen the positive impacts of the processes they set in motion.

Having served on Boards and worked with many different Boards in profit and non-profit organizations, I have the utmost respect for anyone who voluntarily contributes so much of their time and expertise - there are so many things to do in this world and so little time that giving us such a significant quantum of their professional lives is truly a generous gift.

The value of their service was summed up well by our current Board Chair, Todd Allen, when he noted that they have helped the SeaLife Center work through some of the most difficult issues in our existence... with great effect, with grace and with style. As the photo indicates, while their disengagement from the Board is, in many respects, a sad occasion, we did manage to share a few laughs - with these guys, humor is an essential ingredient for coping with the stress of executive life - a lesson we might all take to heart as we face the difficult economy ahead.

I am privileged to have worked with Bob and Ned over these past few months and look forward to keeping in touch as they move to new roles and careers. Please join me in thanking them again for their extraordinary contribution to Alaska's marine ecosystems and the Alaska SeaLife Center!

Meeting the Members and Expanding their Engagement
I was really pleased to have the opportunity last night to meet a dozen local ASLC members and their families at a "Meet the President" event that Susheela Roach organized.
Members are our core constituents - people who choose to support us and who are therefore more committed than most visitors to the work that we do. Members of most organizations such as ours have a natural affinity with our mission and so usually have an exceptional ability to explain to others what we are doing and why its important. Their networks and connections reach audiences who might not otherwise even know about our work.
I am grateful that we have a strong core of members here in Seward and across Alaska (as well as a few members in the lower 48). However, by comparison with many other Alaskan and national aquaria and conservation organizations we have a relatively small total membership. Equally significantly, we have not promoted membership and the benefits of membership to the same level as other aquaria.
I'll be working with Susheela and her team to expand our membership and make our membership programs even more attractive and enticing.
We'd really welcome your ideas on what more we could do to attract, maintain and engage members... please send your suggestion to Susheela directly or let us know if you'd like us to organize a small brainstorming meeting... oh, and have you checked if your families and friends are members?

Alternative Energy - Could we get off the Grid?

I spent last weekend with my wife and daughter up at Chena Hot Springs - we visited on perhaps the coldest weekend of the year, but still managed to enjoy spectacular views of the aurora borealis and a much appreciated warming soak in the hot springs... as odd as that was having icicles hanging off my hair but still overheating!

One of the highlights of the weekend was a tour of the geothermal plant and greenhouses that the geothermal energy powers. Simply amazing to see what was growing when it was -35F outside!

We had a great chat with Bernie Karl, the resort owner and inspiration behind many alternative energy projects in Alaska - it really is amazing what we can do when we practice the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and mimic nature - see chenahotsprings.com. He has agreed to help us think more about helping the ASLC and Seward get off the grid through use of ocean thermal energy conversion (which we already use to cool the ASLC in summer), thus potentially saving us (and the community) a lot of electricity from more expensive and less sustainable sources.

Welcome Fellow Voyagers!

Welcome fellow voyagers to the Alaska SeaLife Center's Ships blog!

This blog has been set up to provide us with an alternative form of internal communication - helping us avoid the email deluge while allowing folks to stay informed and engaged.

I'll use this space as time and energy permits to :

a. update you all on things that I have been doing that are of general interest to the SeaLife Center staff and Board;

b. share impressions, thoughts and ideas; and

c. invite your feedback on topics of general interest.


I'd like to keep this blog as newsy, informative and informal as possible - if we wanted to read a reference book we wouldn't be here - right?


However, because this is not a fully moderated blog and because it is associated with our professional work at the Alaska SeaLife Center, I would ask that we all use this blog with appropriate caution. As a general rule, I'd suggest that we write on this blog only what we would be happy to see in press the next day. That means being careful with language and style as well as limiting our discussion of topics that are not appropriate to discuss in such a public forum. If we fail to meet that simple test then we'll have to cancel this blog... and that would be a pity!

So what am I going to post? And what might you add?
Stay tuned for the next instalments...