CSW Tribe Member
Jim Petruzzi
Career Summary
Thirty years as an entrepreneurial organizational developer with applied successes in the non-profit, for-profit and public sectors in leadership roles as a president & CEO, executive director, board member or advisor creating and implementing novel approaches to organizational growth, improved productivity and sustainable processes.
Qualifications
- 15 years in entrepreneurial small business ownership
- 20 years in non-profit operations and governance
- 7 years teaching and organizational leadership in higher education
- Extensive hands on experience and success in leadership positions in the for-profit, public and non-profit field
Professional Experience
Northcoast Regional Land Trust
2006-Present
Program Overview:
Began my tenure with the NRLT in 2006. The primary mission is to preserve working lands – at a landscape level – throughout the northern coastal counties of California. Bringing an expanded program agenda to the organization to better attain the mission and to increase necessary support are immediate goals. Potential program additions include education, outreach, work in community sustainability, a role in regional planning and additional cultural preservation efforts.
Results Achieved:
- Hired new staff members in development and wildlife biology. Added addition volunteer conservation project staff
- Completed two working land easements totaling over 6,000 acres
- Enacted a partnership with The Nature Conservancy which provided funding and Expertise
- Secured additional operating funding from many new foundations and greatly increased individual donors numbers
- Began educational program jointly with two other lands trusts for educational outreach to the general public and for youth involvement
- Created and implemented a media plan which provides regular coverage of the Trust’s work causing 20 potential new conservation projects to be submitted over 2 months.
- Played a leadership role with the California Land Trust Council (state-wide) for the Northern Region of the state
- Created a partnership with The Nature Conservancy, bringing their regional representative onto the Trust’s board and providing a $35,000 annual donation from TNC
- Began promoting the Trust’s work and region in the San Francisco Bay and Los Angels areas to gather supporters and donors for the region’s ‘unique working and natural landscapes’
- Secured additional major donor and foundation support
CEO Petruzzi Consulting, Inc.
2004-2006
Operated a consulting firm dealing with non-profit organizations. Assisted in set-ups, expansions and problem solving. Specialized in strategic planning and bringing a business approach to non-profit leadership.
Served on the board of several non-profits, especially the Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware. Also served as Program Chair and Development Chair for the Board.
Catamount Institute, Inc.
2003-2004
Interim Executive Director, Organizational Structure Analysis and Development
Utilized my talents and experience to evaluate the organizational model and processes of an environmental research and education non-profit organization and design and implement the preliminary changes required for positive operations and growth.
Program Overview:
- 170 acre facility in the mountains used for environmental research, land conservation, education and teaching leadership skills
- A city campus used for educational programs for youth
- Approaching resource sustainability from a business perspective
- A goal of building a sustainable campus for extended programs on the mountain campus
Results Achieved:
- Organizational evaluation completed and restructuring of organization begun
- Establishment of a business-based plan to provide effective roadmaps for success
- Programmatic elements evaluated for effectiveness and viability, with diverse program areas incorporated under the umbrella mission of the organization
- Staff skills and talents evaluated for merit and new, professional staff hired to provide secure leadership and effectiveness in operations
- Board development and expertise needs defined, with new board members identified
- Worked on land conservation easement projects with the municipalities and conservation
- groups around the airport and on mountain ranches
- Financial and fund development assessment and planning
- Community and organizational partnership priorities defined and numerous strategic partnerships undertaken or strengthened
- Outstanding Achievement Award in Environmental Category from the El Pomar Foundation in 2003
Affordable Housing
1999-2003
Executive Director / President / Board Member
Took my skills and talents to create a new model for providing affordable housing in the Northeast United States, then planned for such a model, created the partnerships and collaborations needed and implemented the plans through completion. We provided affordable housing to those in need at cost with no interest added. The model I designed in our area added additional levels of housing thus lessening public resistance to affordable housing. I also worked with land conservation organizations so that joint housing and land conservation projects were implemented. This garnered strong support from state governments and funding foundations. This included several organizations in which I played diverse roles.
Program Overview:
- Providing housing in a village model community in a three-tiered structure from affordable to open market
- Budget and finance for operations and project development
- Begun and directed an AmeriCorps and VISTA program so that volunteer youth could be actively involved over time Partnered with land preservation non-profits to preserve land while building in predetermined, clustered locations
- Built a board of professionals in many fields needed to advise and participate in the effort
- Developed a two-pronged staff – one a construction company, the other the human resources and operational entity
- Created a model which was financially supported by local banks, County government, state government and the general public
- Took one organization with an annual budget of $270,000 a year to an $8M budget in four Years
- From a staff of one, built a professional staff of 18, an AmeriCorps staff of 4 and a VISTA staff of 4 for one organization
- Helped guide a board in building from a small, unprofessional group to a highly skilled board and strategic advisory board of community leaders
- Went from producing one home a year to a development of 73 town-homes
- Created a partnership with a preservation organization – two organizations often seen as adversaries effectively working together – of preserving land and providing housing
- Created a matrix of strategic partners across community sectors
- Integrated the work of the organization throughout the local schools both as an educational initiative and a volunteer opportunity.
- Developed and facilitated a core group of hundreds of volunteers providing labor on a regular basis.
- Award as Outstanding Project in 2003
Colorado State University
1992-1999
Director
Instructor
Utilized my business experience and educational experience and degree to develop a University owned, under-utilized non-profit natural resource center into a well known, respected and community utilized resource. This also included assisting in raising the funds and participating in designing a state of the art educational building. Taught courses which promoted student involvement in the community in the College of Natural Resources and through the University Community Service Center. Teaching of business courses, environmental education courses, event planning, service-learning in the community, etc. Worked on large land conservation projects with partner organizations from around the Mountain West.
Program Overview:
- 120 acre University owned parcel of undeveloped land (the Environmental Learning Center), which constituted its non-profit entity
- University land surrounded by 1,200 acres of undeveloped City and State land
- One small building located on the land where a caretaker lived and some programming occurred
- Occasional educational programs presented by college students for local K-12 students
- Three miles of nature trails available for walkers and learners
- The facility was little known within the University and even less known in the City
Results Achieved:
- $200,000 raised for an interim educational building
- The facility became well known and respected throughout Colorado and surrounding regions
- Usage went from several hundred a year to thousands per year
- Participated in GOCO group conservation projects (Big Thompson/Poudre; Airport)
- Participated in Audubon led Wetlands Protection conservation initiative (Project Selection Chair – Front Range)
- Regularly scheduled educational programs and events occurred on the site
- $500,000 raised from Coors Brewing Company as the founding grant for a large educational building (part of group)
- Strategic partnerships established with government agencies, schools, Universities, resource agencies and civic groups
- University-wide “Outstanding Teacher Award” for instructional innovation
- Conservation and education projects in Central America
Entrepreneurial Businesses
1978-1992
CEO/President
Created diverse business ventures, which capitalized on each other’s assets and mitigated slow periods of the year in any one business type. Businesses started and operated were primarily retail and wholesale endeavors, but some real estate ventures were also included. These businesses were undertaken after some 10 years of working in the retail arena and operating businesses for others. Most of the businesses created were undertaken with a partner to better pool strengths and cover individual weaknesses.
Program Overview:
- CEO, President or partner in diverse businesses in multiple states
- Human resource lead in all aspects of employee facilitation
- Principal financial officer of many companies
- Created and implemented a strategic plan for growth and expansion
- Business plan development and monitoring, which allowed for the optimum use of resources
- Worked with individuals to assist them in obtaining a franchise in one of our businesses
- Consulted with people wishing to begin their own businesses
Results Achieved:
- Annual growth in both the number and diversity of businesses and overall net return
- Lectured on small business start-up and operations at Penn State and other schools
- Each business supported non-profit endeavors in its region
- Many businesses sold to employees when the partners left for other endeavors
- Doctoral Candidate, Colorado State University (CSU), Dept. of Natural Resource
- Recreation and Tourism (NRRT), 1995 – on hold
- Master of Science, CSU, Dept. NRRT, Natural Resource Management and Environmental Interpretation emphasis, 1995
- BS Education, West Chester University, Communications
- Teacher Certification, secondary level, state of Pennsylvania
Volunteerism
Volunteering time on a regular basis for many organizations as a board member, volunteer or consultant. Some past and present samples include:
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware, Program and Development Chairs
- Friends of Florissant Fossil Beds, Board & Development Chair
- Colorado Service-Learning Partnership, Founding Member
- Numerous Chamber of Commerce committees and initiatives
- Cache La Poudre and Big Thompson Rivers Preservation Initiative, Board
- Affordable Housing Initiative
- Communities That Care
- Invisible College National Steering Committee, Board
- Greenway Project Committee of Denver
- Communities That Care
- Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network
- Denver and Rocky Mountain Arsenal Preservation Committee
- Wetlands Partnership Project, Evaluation Committee Chair
Associations
Membership in numerous associations. Some past and current examples include:
- Eureka Chamber of Commerce (many others)
- Land Trust Alliance
- California Council of Land Trusts
- Colorado Springs Non-Profit Chamber
- Sustainable Business Network
- National Association for Interpretation
- Invisible College
- Association of Fundraising Professionals
- LaSalle Non-profit Association
Personal
Married, enjoy working with people to accomplish goals, hiking, travel, reading, enjoying nature. My passion is natural and cultural preservation, while educating people about the values of these natural and cultural resources to help insure their protection forever. (See more at: Northcoast Regional Land Trust (ncrlt.org)