Statement by Carolyn M. Appleton (carolynmappletoninc.com) “I met Dick Bartlett when I joined the staff of The Nature Conservancy of Texas ca. 1993. From the beginning, Dick was a champion of the organization and of me (and my fundraising activities). When I moved to Dallas, I was an active member of NSFRE (today called the Association of Fundraising Professionals). I agreed to help the local chapter improve attendance and the quality of its program offerings, by inviting guest speakers of the caliber of Dick Bartlett. I remember Dick was excited about speaking, and I am so happy his speech is documented here for posterity.”
“Richard (Dick) Bartlett (1935-2011) inspired environmental educators nationwide through his passion and leadership for conservation and education. His board memberships and body of work spanned over four decades and include landscape-scale conservation, environmental management, science, ethics, education, policy and writing. He was NEEF’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees from October 2003-May 2007 before becoming one of the Foundation’s Honorary Board Members. NEEF established an annual environmental education award in his name to recognize teachers who are engaging students in environmental education that is creative, cross-disciplinary and based in real world challenges. Dick Bartlett’s principal conservation focus began with The Nature Conservancy, where he served as international Chairman of the Planned Giving Committee of the Campaign for a Sustainable Planet. The overall goal of this campaign was to create a $1.6 billon legacy fund. He became a trustee of The Nature Conservancy of Texas in January 1989 and was named Chairman in July 1994. He also served as a trustee of the New Mexico Chapter and, between Texas and New Mexico, helped conserve more than 1 million acres of highly biodiverse lands. He was a recipient of TNC’s coveted Oak Leaf Award and named to the organization’s original national President’s Conservation Council. Mr. Bartlett was an advisor to NatureServe and on advisory boards of the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE), The Aldo Leopold Foundation and the Center for Big Bend Studies. He was a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas and a board member of Texas A&M University Press. In 2005, he was presented the Texas Legends Award by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Mr. Bartlett was selected as the “2011 Man for All Seasons” by the Harvey Weil Foundation and received the Conservationist of the Year Award in April 2011. He was also named an Alumnus of Distinction of the University of Florida. Mr. Bartlett served as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Education & Outreach, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, was a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Texas Nature Tourism and emeritus trustee of the Compadres del Rancho Grande of the Big Bend Ranch State Park. He was an active member of the Coalition for Conservation, focused on efforts in the 2007 & 2009 legislatures to secure funding for Texas State Parks. He was also named to the Texas Governor’s Environmental Flows Advisory Committee. In addition, Mr. Bartlett was a member of the U.S. EPA National Environmental Education Advisory Council. Among Mr. Bartlett’s board memberships included the Vital Voices Global Partnership, National Council of Better Business Bureaus, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society, Dallas Museum of Natural History, Heard Natural Science Museum, University of Texas Press, The Dallas Opera, The Conference Board and the World Economic Forum. Mr. Bartlett joined Mary Kay Inc. in 1973 to guide the company’s sales and marketing strategies. He became an officer in 1976, a member of the board in 1979 and was named Vice Chairman in 1993. He directed the growth of Mary Kay while serving as President and Chief Operating Officer from 1987-1992. Mary Kay’s sales in 2008 were in excess of $2.6 billion wholesale, through more than two million independent businesswomen in 30 markets on five continents. The company has received
numerous environmental awards, including the 1994 Texas Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence and the 1995 United Nations Environment Programme award. Also, Mr. Bartlett co-authored several business textbooks and wrote three definitive books—The Direct Option, a comprehensive work on direct selling as a legitimate career choice; The Sportsman’s Guide to Texas (with his wife Joanne Krieger) blending conservation ethics and hunting; and Saving the Best of Texas: A Partnership Approach to Conservation, a book that provides a catalyst for the process of forming partnerships to preserve the natural environment. Professional awards include Southwestern Marketing Association’s 1991 Outstanding Marketer of the Year; International Television Association’s 1992 Chief Executive of the Year; Direct Selling Association's 1994 Hall of Fame; Direct Selling Education Foundation’s 1995 National Circle of Honor; Academy of Marketing Science’s 1995 Distinguished Marketer of the Year; Pi Kappa Phi’s national Hall of Fame; the University of North Texas 1999 international Executive of the Year Award. Building on his lifetime conservation experience, Mr. Bartlett and his wife Joanne established a private operating foundation, the Thinking Like A Mountain Foundation, with a mission to foster conservation ethics through a thinker-in-residence program in the Davis Mountains of Texas.” From the National Environmental Education Foundation (bio): http://64.130.52.13/bartlettaward/bartlettbio. In addition, the award created in his honor is discussed here: National Environmental Education Foundation: https://www.neefusa.org/richard-cbartlett-award.