TRPLF Elects Spencer Zwick To Board

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation

Linda Pancratz, Chair

Edward F. O’Keefe, Chief Executive Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 16, 2021

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Meets with North Dakota Officials, Medora Foundation, National Park; Elects Spencer Zwick to Board of Trustees and Hires Jeffrey Rothenberg to Lead Development

MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA — The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation held its summer board meeting August 9-10 in Medora, North Dakota, future home of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

The theme of the gathering was “Partnerships, Priorities, and Plans” and the T.R. Library board held a community gathering at the Cowboy Hall of Fame, inviting all residents of Billings County to participate, and hear from Governor Doug Burgum and Michelle Delk, partner and architect at Snøhetta, the Norwegian and U.S. firm commissioned to design the library alongside JLG, the project’s Architect of Record. Michelle Mongeon Allen, chief executive officer of JLG, also addressed the crowd. 

Bill Panos, director of the North Dakota Department of Transportation, was on hand to make a presentation on the infrastructure needs of Billings County, including access for fire, police, and emergency services. Andrea Travnicek, recently appointed director of North Dakota Department of Water Resources and formerly the director of North Dakota Parks and Recreation, discussed the drought and the connections between the T.R. Library and state’s many natural resources. Sara Otte-Coleman, director of North Dakota Tourism and Marketing, presented on the forecast and five year plan for tourism leading to the grand opening of the nation’s 14th presidential library.

Randy Hatzenbuhler and Clarence Sitter presented the strategic vision for the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation. The Medora Musical is performed in the Burning Hills amphitheater, not far from the 93-acre site of the future Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. President Steve Easton discussed the partnership potential between the T.R. Library and the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University, and Dickinson State University Heritage Foundation executive director Ty Orton took part in several of the T.R. Library discussion and activities.

“The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is a catalyst for investment in western North Dakota,” said Governor Doug Burgum. “This historic project will bring resources from water to roads to Medora, Billings County, and the surrounding community.”

“The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation supports the land use plan of Billings County,” said Edward F. O’Keefe, chief executive officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation. “We are good neighbors, and like good neighbors we care deeply about ranching, western culture, and the lifeblood, history and future of this community.”

The T.R. Library plan includes strong and robust support for the Medora Grazing Association including the continuation of grazing on the land in and around the presidential library.

“Ranchers are the original conservationists,” said O’Keefe. “The T.R. Library hopes every participant who visits will see ranchers’ love of the land in action right there on the site of the Library.”

The Board of Trustees visited Theodore Roosevelt National Park and toured the recently renovated Peaceful Valley Ranch with Park superintendent Wendy Ross, deputy superintendent Blake McCann, and acting deputy superintendent Maureen McGee-Ballinger. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation and Theodore Roosevelt National Park have established a Memorandum of Intent (MOI), the first step in what will be a critical partnership connecting hike, bike, and horse back trails between the T.R. Library and the only national park named for a person, let alone a president. 

During their formal meeting, the Board elected Spencer Zwick as a trustee of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation. Zwick is co-founder and managing partner at Solamere Capital, a $2 billion multi-strategy investment firm. Zwick served as National Finance Chair and Senior Advisor for the 2008 and 2012 Mitt Romney presidential campaigns. He served as National Finance Chair for Speaker Paul Ryan and as Deputy Chief of Staff and COO in the Office of the Governor Mitt Romney in Massachusetts. 

Zwick is a current member of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Campaign Cabinet Board and the board of the Lupus Research Alliance. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Economics and International Studies. Zwick will join the Development and Finance Committees of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation. 

“The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is honored to welcome Spencer Zwick to the Board of Trustees,” said Linda Pancratz, chair of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation and a graduate of the University of North Dakota. “Spencer cares deeply for our country, and the lessons of citizenship, leadership, and conservation that can be realized through the ambitious vision of this historic project.” 

The Board also announced the hiring of the Foundation’s first-ever Vice President of Development.

Jeffrey S. Rothenberg joins the T.R. Library team on August 30, 2021, to lead its fundraising operations.

Rothenberg was Vice President of Development for the Sigma Chi Foundation, a national organization based out of Evanston, Illinois. There Rothenberg managed the development team responsible for a multi-year $100M+ capital campaign. He reported directly to the President and CEO, and led the Sigma Chi Foundation’s overall development strategy and recruitment effort. 

Prior to his role at Sigma Chi, Rothenberg was a global trading operations analyst for General Electric’s asset management unit, and was later a finance and performance management consultant for Accenture. He graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from American University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut. 

“I am drawn to mission-driven work,” said Rothenberg. “We have an opportunity to help others learn from one of America’s most celebrated and broadly respected Presidents, and to ponder their own experience through the lens of his. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library will make a difference for North Dakota, the nation, and our world.”

Those interested in being In the Arena can learn about the project and donate at trlibrary.com

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