CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

THE SEARCH The Board of Directors of the newly established Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation seeks nominations and applications for Chief Executive Officer to lead the creation, funding, building, and operation of a new presidential library honoring the 26th president of the United States of America. The new library and museum will be built near the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the city of Dickinson, North Dakota. The vision for the library and museum is to become both a center for scholarship and a new visitor magnet of the upper Great Plains. In addition, the new library seeks to become the first presidential library in history to digitize fully the letters, photos, films, scrapbooks, diaries, cartoons, newspaper articles and other documents associated with the man and president it will honor. The digitization project is already well underway, with more than 35,000 items already having been made available for use online. These documents, supporting both academic scholarship and the future visitor experience, have been made possible by the work of the Theodore Roosevelt Center located at Dickinson State University. Acclaimed public humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson leads the work of the Center and will serve as a member of the executive team charged with bringing the TRPL&M into existence. 1 Planning for the new library and museum, in tandem with the digitization project, has been comprehensively documented in an Interpretive Master Plan Report of May 5, 2015, prepared by a triumvirate of top planning and design firms drawn from the upper Midwest. The basic outlines of an aggressive fundraising schedule in the report call for the completion of a $52 million capital campaign by January 2019 to support construction and exhibits, plus an additional $13-15 million for endowment and enhancement of the digital library s capacity. In addition, also reflecting early progress, an announcement was made recently that ground will be broken soon for construction of a historically accurate replica of the cottonwood log cabin that served as the former president s 1884 lodging on his Elkhorn Ranch west of Dickinson. Fundraising through the new 501.c.3 foundation will be the sine qua non of success. Start-up funds in the amount of $15 million have already been committed by the North Dakota legislature and the City of Dickinson. In addition, gifts from private sources have been pledged or received to help ensure sufficient initial operating funds to continue planning and staff development while the library is being built. The case for combined private and public support of the new library and museum centers around two core themes: the deep and lasting impact of President Roosevelt s service as a two-term president during a critical time in our nation s history; and the indelible impact of the years he spent in North Dakota following the tragic death of his mother and wife. Speaking of his years on the North Dakota plains, Roosevelt himself once said, It was here that the romance of my life began. And he later noted: I never would have been President if it had not been for my experiences in North Dakota. A further compelling driver of the case for public and private support is the centennial anniversary of the National Parks System currently underway. 1 Clay Jenkinson was one of the first five scholars in the U.S. to receive the National Humanities Medal in 1994 from President George W. Bush and is the creator of NPR s The Thomas Jefferson Hour where he engages in live dialogue with audience members in the persona of the nation s third president. 2

FOUNDATION GOVERNANCE AND ROLE OF THE CEO Providing overall leadership and encouragement to the presidential library and museum project is the 13-member volunteer Board of Directors of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation. The board, which anticipates increasing in size, comprises civic, business, academic, and philanthropic leaders from the region and across the nation who share in common a deep admiration for Theodore Roosevelt and his leadership, as well as the lasting impact made by North Dakota on his life and presidency. The Chief Executive Officer of this independently governed 501.c.3 will report to foundation chairman Dr. Bruce Pitts in collaboration with Clay Jenkinson and will provide leadership to a permanent and contract staff expected ultimately to grow to the range of 25-46 individuals organized in five teams: the Executive Team; the Digital Experience Team; the Educational Enrichment Team; the Museum Experience Team; and, the Outreach Team. It is expected that the CEO will take the lead in fundraising, including nurturing and managing internal and external relationships to establish a broad network of stakeholders committed to the success of the project. CEO leadership, under direction of the board, also will be devoted to building the Foundation from the ground up as a successful, ethical, and smoothly operating not-forprofit corporation. In addition, working with staff and outside consultants, he or she will bear responsibility for the planning and construction of the TRPL&M, which ideally is envisioned to open in 2019, or soon thereafter, coinciding with the centennial of Theodore Roosevelt s death. THE SETTING The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum will be sited in Dickinson, North Dakota, a few miles from the two ranches owned and operated by Roosevelt during his years living the strenuous life. One of the fastest growing micropolitan areas in the country, Dickinson s population has increased rapidly in the past few years to nearly 30,000, in large measure due to expanded commercial activity associated with the Bakken oil reserve. Its strategic location near the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park first earned Dickinson its reputation as Queen City of the Prairies beginning in 1906. The city is also the home of Dickinson State University, part of the North Dakota public university system and current home of the Theodore Roosevelt Center. Roosevelt s ranches in the area, the Chimney Butte Ranch and Elkhorn Ranch, are both situated on the Little Missouri River, where he discovered an authentic and rugged life. And this too was where he drew inspiration and a deep appreciation for wildlife conservation and preservation of the rugged natural beauty he later acted on as president when establishing the United States Forest Service, signing into law the creation of five National Parks, and creating 51 national bird sanctuaries, four game preserves, and 150 national forests. The intention of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is to serve not only as a resource for continued scholarship but also as a reminder of the centrality of the plains environment and personal experiences that shaped Roosevelt s leadership as president. 3

KEY ATTRIBUTES AND EXPECTATIONS OF LEADERSHIP The successful candidate will ideally bring 10 or more years of prior success in executive leadership roles as a college or university president or vice president for advancement, foundation president, or leader of a major cultural, civic, or business organization. He or she will also have demonstrated an ability to manage a staff team, work closely with a board of trustees or equivalent volunteer governing organization, participate comfortably within the legislative arena, and engage a broad range of stakeholders. Of critical importance will be an established personal track record of success in individual, corporate, and foundation major gift fundraising and prior leadership of a capital or comprehensive campaign. Equally important will be a demonstrated ability to create, communicate, and sustain enthusiasm and commitment to the case for giving while designing appropriate strategies for identifying and soliciting donors. The inaugural CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation will be mission-driven and able to provide purpose, motivation, and clear direction to his or her staff team while supporting them, serving as a player-coach, and holding them accountable for achieving goals and key milestones. Specific duties will include: establishing the staffing, resources, policies, and procedures required for the new foundation; executing the planning, construction, and operation of the TRPL&M; developing the database, gift-processing, reporting, and donor stewardship systems required; directing and managing a comprehensive fundraising campaign designed to secure private and public commitments; organizing Article by Theodore Roosevelt for Ladies Home Journal, October 1916. and inspiring the work of the staff team and volunteers; and managing all aspects of the Foundation s external stakeholder relations. In addition, the successful candidate will bring the following skills and personal attributes to his or her role: confidence, integrity, social sophistication, impeccable communication abilities, collegiality, vision, tolerance, high energy, self-awareness, and a sense of humor. Compensation will be commensurate with salary history and demonstrated experience. 4

THE APPLICATION PROCESS Application materials of all candidates or nominees for this position are a matter of public record in accordance with the open meetings-open records statutes and policies of the State of North Dakota. Applications must include a letter of interest that responds to the Key Attributes and Expectations of Leadership and other elements of this profile. In addition, a resume or vita, along with email and phone contact information for three to five professional references is requested. No references will be contacted without the permission of the candidate. Nominations and expressions of interest are encouraged and will be accepted at any time during the search process. Although formal applications will be accepted until an appointment is made, candidates should submit materials by April 22, 2016, for most favorable consideration. The Search Committee plans to begin screening applications in late April and an appointment is anticipated by late May following an interview process to be determined. A start date on or before July 1, 2016, depending on current commitments, is most desirable. The search is being assisted by Dr. Vance T. Peterson of AGB Search. Questions, nominations, and other inquiries may be directed to him at: vtp@agbsearch.com c-818-304-5233 Application materials should be submitted (in MS Word or Adobe PDF) to: Members of the Search Committee TRPLF@agbsearch.com The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, or other protected categories in accordance with applicable federal and state law. 5