TEJON RANCH CONSERVANCY ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO
Robert J. Reid brings a wealth of experience and vision to his new role
TEJON RANCH, Calif. (Oct. 28, 2015) – The Board of Directors of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy, one of the West’s largest and most significant land trusts, announced today that Robert J. Reid is the new president and CEO of the Conservancy.
Since its founding in 2008, under a groundbreaking conservation agreement, the Conservancy has created a range of programs for conservation, science and public access on the 240,000 acres of the Tejon Ranch set aside for conservation. Reid will lead the nonprofit organization as it seeks to expand those programs at Tejon Ranch, which is located at the southern end of the San Joaquin valley.
“I am honored to join the Conservancy and build on its past accomplishments while strategically guiding the organization as it grows,” said Reid. “The Conservancy is protecting and sustaining one of California’s most remarkable landscapes. Tejon Ranch is one of the West’s last great places and an ecological treasure that many can experience and learn from.”
Reid brings experience in organizational development, conservation, land trust management and communications to his new position. Prior to joining the Tejon Ranch Conservancy, he served as the chief development and communications officer of the Catalina Island Conservancy where, as a member of the Executive Team, he focused on expanding the base of the organization through membership, major gifts and program support.
“After seven years devoted to establishing the Tejon Ranch Conservancy and its core programs, we are excited by the demonstrated potential that Bob Reid brings for growth in programs, in geographic range and in institutional support,” said Tejon Ranch Conservancy Board Chairman Joel Reynolds, the Natural Resources Defense Council’s western director and senior attorney. “His vision and success on Catalina Island reflect the leadership qualities needed to enable this unique land trust to thrive in fulfilling its conservation mission at Tejon Ranch.”
Among other accomplishments at the Catalina Island Conservancy, Reid secured funding for Trekking Catalina: A Master Trails plan, and NatureWorks, a partnership with Long Beach Unified School District to enhance learning through environmental experiences. He also launched a new magazine for the Conservancy. Previously, he served as Los Angeles director of The Trust for Public Land, and he is past chairman of the board of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening neighborhoods through the creation of parks and public gardens.
“Conservation has always been at the heart of Tejon Ranch, and our partnership with the Tejon Ranch Conservancy has taken that to the next level,” said Tejon Ranch Co. President and CEO Gregory S. Bielli. “We congratulate the Conservancy Board on finding such an experienced and capable leader as Bob Reid. We look forward to increasing our joint cooperation and partnership under his leadership.”
Reid replaces the Tejon Ranch Conservancy’s founding Executive Director Tom Maloney who left the organization in June to advise the National Audubon Society on its western lands program. Maloney guided the Conservancy since its inception and, among other things, led the organization to accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission; secured over 100,000 acres of conservation easements at Tejon Ranch (including a viewshed easement for relocation of the Pacific Crest Trail through the heart of the ranch), and helped develop the first Ranch-Wide Management Plan, a blueprint for protecting and restoring the Ranch’s native biodiversity and ecosystem. He is continuing his association with the Conservancy as a senior fellow.
About the Tejon Ranch Conservancy
The Tejon Ranch Conservancy is one of the West’s largest and most significant land trusts. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to restoring and enhancing one of California’s last great places, the historic Tejon Ranch, the single largest piece of private property in the state. With 240,000 of its nearly 270,000 acres (422 square miles) set aside for conservation, the Tejon Ranch is one of the West’s most important ecological gems. The Conservancy, working in concert with the Tejon Ranch Co., is committed to state-of-the-art conservation and land management to protect this irreplaceable landscape. They are also working together to connect people of all backgrounds to the land and conservation by engaging them in citizen science, academic research, naturalist training and environmental education. For more information, please visit TejonConservancy.org.
Tejon Ranch Conservancy Media Contact:
Laura Mecoy, Laura@Mecoy.net, 310-546-5860
