Martin Wildy - Treasurer

Why did you choose to become involved with Friends of Rothrock?

I am an avid trail runner, hiker, camper, XC skier, and mountain biker and have been an active user of the forest for over 20 years.  I love that we have such an amazing, beautiful resource that is this close to where we call home. I have a passion for the forest and wanted to help be part of a group that can serve as the interaction between the various user groups and Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation/DCNR to ensure we have a healthy sustainable forest that is available for all to enjoy responsibly.  I am also very excited about the trail plan and the ability to increase the number of looping options, decrease traffic on some overused trails, and introduce more beginner and family-friendly trail options.

How do you support FOR?

As FOR's Treasurer, I coordinate with the PA Parks and Forest Foundation to ensure local donations are processed correctly and attributed to our local group.  I am also working to ensure the various committee chairs understand their financial needs for 2019 so we can make sure we budget appropriately to support the growth and outreach of the organization.  As a new friends group, my goal is to build a stable foundation so that the organization can grow to support the forest and local user groups for many years to come.

What other things would FOR Members be interested in knowing about you?
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I believe that being able to experience the outdoors through a wide variety of activities brings us closer to our families, friends, our community, and nature.  I live in State College with my wife and two children who love to get outdoors. I grew up in Ireland until the age of 15 and graduated from Penn State with a degree in finance.  Professionally, I have the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and have focused my career on sustainable, responsible, and impact investing. I'm on the finance and investment committee for Clearwater Conservancy and serve as head coach for Centre County's Special Olympics basketball program where I get to interact with many amazing athletes and volunteers.

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