When David Curtiss assumed the role of executive director of the AAPG Foundation, he knew his job was to keep the Foundation relevant and headed in the right direction.
What he initially didn’t know, however, was that the Foundation would eventually be doing the same for him.
Today, on the brink of stepping away from the position he’s held for more than 13 years, that symbiotic connection is easy to see – for him, and for all who have benefited from that mutual inspiration.
“I have always been proud to serve as executive director of the Foundation,” Curtiss said recently as he prepared for the next chapter in his career. “The Foundation’s mission, its many successes, its resources to deploy to advance our science and profession – they have energized me.”
Curtiss announced earlier this year that by year’s end he would be leaving his roles as executive director of both AAPG and the AAPG Foundation, positions he held since August 2011. He’s remained in the positions as the search for his replacement continued.
An official announcement regarding that search and details of the transition plan for both the Foundation and AAPG are expected by year’s end.
Curtiss has frequently told the anecdote that during his job interview for the executive director positions, when asked how long he would likely stay in the role, he replied “about 10 years.”
“Hence, AAPG has been extremely lucky to hold onto him for as long as we have,” past AAPG President Claudia Hackbarth commented.
Changes Ahead for the Foundation
Still, even as Curtiss headed into his final weeks in leadership, his focus continued to be on Foundation activities, initiatives and potential changes designed to address the rapidly changing world of foundations across the country.
“The AAPG Foundation continues to evolve, and it’s in the middle of a generational change right now,” Curtiss said.
“The legacy of so many AAPG members and their families looking to pass on their love for geoscience is how we’ve gotten to where we are,” he added. “Our challenge now is to connect with the next generation of geoscientists – many of whom enjoyed support from the Foundation – and instill in them a desire to follow the lead of their predecessors.”
Some changes being considered “are operational,” Curtiss said, “to focus on the most pressing needs, make the organization more effective, and work to attract a new generation of geoscientists into the profession.”
Other changes involve finding new ways to communicate the Foundation’s message, new projects to engage with and new and effective approaches in using Foundation funds.
And also, there is an ongoing emphasis on attracting younger members to support the Foundation – professionals who would not only get personal satisfaction from helping to ensure geoscience excellence, but could also benefit from the networking and community that comes with Foundation connections.
“The bulk of the resources that the Foundation Trustees oversee are contributed by individuals, not companies,” he said. “They (members) have been incredibly generous with their contributions and estate planning – extraordinarily generous.
“That’s a spirit we want to continue,” he said, “for the Foundation, and for the future of the profession and geosciences.”
Two-Way Street
Curtiss, an AAPG member since 1997, was named executive director of AAPG and the AAPG Foundation, two separate entities, in August 2011.
He has announced no set plans. (See Director’s Corner, page 66.)
Immediately prior to coming to Tulsa he worked in Washington, D.C., as director of AAPG’s Geoscience and Energy Office for nearly four years, after serving as deputy director of the office since its inception in 2005.
He has a bachelor’s degree in geology from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill., a master’s degree in Earth resources management from the University of South Carolina and a master’s in business administration from the University of Utah.
Before working for AAPG he was manager of international strategy and development, and senior adviser to the director of the Energy and Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah.
In 2001-02 he served as a Legislative Fellow in Washington, D.C., serving in the office of then-U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.).
“David is genuinely friendly and engaging with all sorts of folks,” noted AAPG Foundation Chair Jim McGhay. “He has always been a good speaker in any size group, from small casual settings to larger conference venues, and that has been a valuable asset for the Foundation.”
McGhay also praised his “tremendous network,” both within the Foundation and with the public and outside groups.
“And he’s quite knowledgeable,” McGhay added, “not just with the Association’s and Foundation’s inner workings – which he knows well – but with the related science itself, the energy industry in general, and the political system and people that affect the science and industry.
“This has been a real and effective strength,” he said, “and the Foundation has certainly benefitted from those gifts.
“David has a passion for the Foundation and our mission.”
For Curtiss, again, that passion and resulting inspiration are a two-way street.
“Without a doubt, I’ll always remember the people who I’ve gotten to know and spend time with – the Trustees, the Members of the Corporation, the Trustee Associates – an incredible group of individuals,” he said.
He also calls it a privilege to serve under three Foundation chairs – “each a remarkable person.
“The memories of Bill Fisher leaning over to me at dinner to provide advice and mentoring; receiving a handwritten note of thanks and encouragement from Jim Gibbs; and discussing scenarios for the future with Jim McGhay,” he said. “Those memories will always stay with me.”
But the ultimate satisfaction?
“Finding people passionate about a geoscience project, then assessing whether it was something that fit the Foundation’s mission and goals, and then bringing it to the Trustees for their consideration,” Curtiss said. “That was a thrill.
“When the project succeeded and delivered on its promises it justified the time, effort, and money spent – and that feeling is incredible.”