Who’s Involved
The drive to found a modern, first-class natural history museum focusing on the natural heritage of Northern California has brought together a variety of supporters:
Board of Directors of the NCNHM
Twenty five prominent citizens from Northern California have made major donations of their time, energy, and finances to bring the NCNHM to the brink of success. Representing the entire region, from Alamo to Little River, from Rocklin to Oroville, these Board members bring distinguished records of success in business, real estate, publishing, banking, education, accountancy, civic involvement, and the legal profession to bear on our project.
Pictured here are most members of the Board, at our Spring 2002 “State of the Museum” event at the Bidwell State Historic Park Visitors Center.
Executive Committee of the NCNHM Board of Directors
Judy Sitton, current Board President, recently retired as the Executive Vice President of SunGard Bi-Tech Software in Chico, which she cofounded
Barbara Weibel, Board Vice President, is a Gold Star Club real estate agent with Coldwell-Banker-DuFour realty in Chico
Rich Ober, Board Treasurer, is Vice President for Public Relations with SunGard Bi-Tech Software in Chico
Gary Weibel, past Board President, is the retired President and Publisher of the Chico Enterprise-Record newspaper
Marcia Moore, M.D., Board Executive committee, is the Chief of Medicine at Enloe Hospital, and President of the Western Regional Heart Association
Glen Toney, Ph.D., Board Executive committee, is the retired Group Vice President of Applied Materials in Santa Clara
Jessee Allread, NCNHM Director for Major Gifts, is a principle in Part5ive, a business consultancy
Members of the NCNHM Board of Directors
Jeff Armstrong is the President and founder of NutriLawn, Inc.
W.Z. Jeff Brown is an attorney with Price Brown & Halsey
Eddi Deromedi is an educator and vice principal in the Chico Unified School District
Bruce Dillman is an educator and High School Teacher of the Year in 2000 in the Chico Unified School District
Craig Duncan is an accountant with Matsom & Isom Accountancy Corporation
Richard Hilton is a paleontologist specializing in Mesozoic reptiles, and the Director of the Sierra College Natural History Museum
Renee McAmis is past President of Omega Nu in Chico and active in civic affairs
Marilyn Sibley is a CSU, Chico alumna and one of the founding members of the NCNHM Board of Directors
Gary Sitton, Ph.D. is the retired founder and CEO of SunGuard-Bitech Software
Anne Stephens is an educator and the Junior High Teacher of the Year for 2001 in the Chico Unified School District, and the 2002/2003 Educator of the Year in Region 2 of the California League of Middle Schools
Virginia Toney is the retired Controller for Lightwave Electronics Corporation in Silicon Valley. Her interests are focused on education and opportunities for children
Sib West, DDS is the former President of the California Dental Association, and a founding member of the NCNHM Board of Directors
Candace Grubbs is Clerk-Recorder for Butte County
Byron Crossen is the owner of Burger King restaurants throughout Northern California
Raymond Barnett, Ph.D. Past Executive Director of the NCNHM and author of publications in the evolutionary ecology of birds and mammals
John Swanson, Ph.D. Retired Professor of Biology and current Museum Without Walls Committee Chair
Shirley Swanson Retired University Administrator. Teaching emphasis in Women’s History and Women’s Issues
Bonnie Huntington Tri Counties Bank
Jessee J. Allread is a principle in Part5ive, a business consultancy
Alice Patterson Chico Chamber of Commerce and W.A.C.E. Conference Scholarship Winner
CSU, Chico support personnel on the Board
Jim Houpis, Ph.D. is Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and an expert on the ecological physiology of plants
Kim DuFour is the Director of Development for the College of Natural Sciences, with a background in hospital fundraising
Donors to the NCNHM
Financial support for the NCNHM has come from a variety of sources: NCNHM Board members, citizens and businesses throughout Northern California, Chico State University, and the State of California. All these gifts are greatly appreciated. Significant donations include the following.
Founders of the Museum:
Sheryl Lange
Dr. Marcia Moore
State of California (Proposition 40 award)
Chico State University (valuation of site for museum)
Founding Benefactors of the Museum:
Glen and Virginia Toney
Gary and Judy Sitton
Garey and Barbara Weibel
Founding Patrons of the Museum:
Dr. Sim and Jan Simpson
Founding Donors of the Museum:
John and Barbara Boyle
Thomas and Ingrid DuFour for Coldwell-Banker DuFour Realty
Dr. Ken and Sheryl Lange
John and Renee McAmis
Founding Contributors of the Museum:
Martin Taber, Dr. Randy Reed and Dr. Linda Davis-Reed, Jessee and Gwen Allread, John and Mary Beth Growdon, Baldwin Contracting Company, Bank of the West
State Authorities involved with the NCNHM
A number of State of California authorities have contributed to the drive to found the NCNHM.
Governor Gray Davis awarded $3 million of Proposition 40 funds to the NCNHM in October of 2002, stating that, “Our communities grow stronger when we preserve our natural and cultural heritage. Nowhere is that more true or important as in the North State – one of the most environmentally precious regions of California.”
Secretary of Resources Mary Nichols seconded Gov. Davis’ award. In a January, 2002 letter of support for the NCNHM, she had written, “Public education celebrating the value of our natural resources is an essential component in garnering continued support for the conservation efforts of the Resources Agency. I am pleased to add my support to the growing list of those helping to make the envisioned Northern California Natural History Museum a reality.”
Assemblyman Dick Dickerson of District 2 submitted the NCNHM project to Governor Davis’ attention as an “opportunity grant” from his office, and warmly advocated for the museum.