John Judge Out at AMC

[ChrisB]

Got this today...

Don't know if this was unexpected. Seems like no succession plan was in place.

I am writing to you, as a valued AMC member, to share that after ten highly successful years as President and CEO of the Appalachian Mountain Club, John Judge is leaving to begin his next chapter.

While we are sad to see John go, we are excited for him in his new role as President and CEO at The Trustees, a conservation non-profit organization based in Boston. Moreover, we are – and will remain – tremendously grateful for the transformational impact John had on AMC.

Since beginning in 2012, John has led the organization through significant growth and change. With the support of members like you, AMC has expanded its recreational offerings from the Corman Harriman Outdoor Center in New York to the beautiful Medawisla Lodge in Maine. We’ve improved outdoor access for our region’s residents through expanded trip and program offerings. And we’ve celebrated numerous conservation victories, such as the permanent reauthorization and funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

I want you to know that the Board of Directors is hard at work planning for our continued success. In the coming weeks, we’ll name an interim leader and launch a comprehensive search for a permanent CEO who will be able to build on our momentum and help AMC reach new heights. 

AMC's members are the heart of our organization, and I want to thank you for being a part of our community as we advance our mission of fostering the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the outdoors.

I look forward to your continued support and will be in touch with more details as this leadership transition progresses.

 

[Puma concolor]

I love the fact that I’ve never before heard of this person.

 

[skiguy]

I love the fact that I’ve never before heard of this person.

Probably not me either but I think he is the guy that took a 10 or 15 thousand pay cut from 295 thousand to save the day.

 

[Lost Dad]

John Judges salary at the AMC was $310,000. He is replacing Barbara Erickson, former Trustees CEO & President (who passed away from cancer) and her salary was $468,000. No wonder he changed jobs. It seems that the Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) are quite generous with their salaries with the top five making over $229,000.
The Trustees own & manage many properties in MA that have been preserved for open space. Their growth has exploded in the last twenty or so years with a large concentration of properties in the Charles River valley. While I appreciate their work, their stewardship of the properties leaves something to be desired IMO. They have moved from a low impact type of property management to properties that feel manicured (trail signs, markers & Trustees propaganda everywhere) The Trustees have lost my confidence as they move to commercialize the woods and seem to focus on money over open space. Hiring John Judge is just another strike against The Trustees IMO.

 

[skiguy]

John Judges salary at the AMC was $310,000. He is replacing Barbara Erickson, former Trustees CEO & President (who passed away from cancer) and her salary was $468,000. No wonder he changed jobs. It seems that the Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) are quite generous with their salaries with the top five making over $229,000.
The Trustees own & manage many properties in MA that have been preserved for open space. Their growth has exploded in the last twenty or so years with a large concentration of properties in the Charles River valley. While I appreciate their work, their stewardship of the properties leaves something to be desired IMO. They have moved from a low impact type of property management to properties that feel manicured (trail signs, markers & Trustees propaganda everywhere) The Trustees have lost my confidence as they move to commercialize the woods and seem to focus on money over open space. Hiring John Judge is just another strike against The Trustees IMO.

Interesting how they operate under the guise of a non-profit. Something is not right when you operate a hut system under a permit on public lands then collect fees and use the money to fight projects beneficial to the general population.

 

[Puma concolor]

The AMC invented glamping 90 years before it was even a word. Not my go-to on wilderness ethics issues. LOL.

 

[maineguy]

The AMC invented glamping 90 years before it was even a word. Not my go-to on wilderness ethics issues. LOL.

Well, you sent me to google for that one. Then back to google to look up "portmanteau"...

 

[B the Hiker]

Something is not right when you operate a hut system under a permit on public lands then collect fees and use the money to fight projects beneficial to the general population.

I used to know someone in the Treasurer's Office quite well. On a good year, the huts break even. The rest of the time, the other AMC operations subsidize the huts.

 

[B the Hiker]

The AMC invented glamping 90 years before it was even a word. Not my go-to on wilderness ethics issues. LOL.

The AMC bends over backwards to be ideal stewards, both in the office facilities and in the backcountry. I have seen few organizations that walk-the-walk as seriously as they do. Here's is their statement on carbon neutrality.
https://www.outdoors.org/conservation/priorities/climate-change/net-zero-emissions/

 

[skiguy]

What is the date when The AMC needs to renew on it’s Hut Lease on Public Lands again?Last time was around 1997 give or take?

 

[maineguy]

What is the date when The AMC needs to renew on it’s Hut Lease on Public Lands again?Last time was around 1997 give or take?

The previous one expired in Oct 1996 and I believe it was renewed in 1997. It is a 30 year special use permit, so around 2027.

 

[JoshandBaron]

John Judges salary at the AMC was $310,000. He is replacing Barbara Erickson, former Trustees CEO & President (who passed away from cancer) and her salary was $468,000. No wonder he changed jobs. It seems that the Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) are quite generous with their salaries with the top five making over $229,000.
The Trustees own & manage many properties in MA that have been preserved for open space. Their growth has exploded in the last twenty or so years with a large concentration of properties in the Charles River valley. While I appreciate their work, their stewardship of the properties leaves something to be desired IMO. They have moved from a low impact type of property management to properties that feel manicured (trail signs, markers & Trustees propaganda everywhere) The Trustees have lost my confidence as they move to commercialize the woods and seem to focus on money over open space. Hiring John Judge is just another strike against The Trustees IMO.

Given the alternatives proposed for many Trustees properties in my area, I'll take the trail signs.

 

[peakbagger]

Note that the prior permit was 10 years at best due to the requirement that AMC had to do an EIS. Last thing I knew the Lake of Clouds septic system had not yet been replaced waiting for FS to expand the footprint of the special permit area. The hut did switch to composter type solid waste system so they may have just reduced the flow to minimize the leakage.

Nevertheless, I expect that the subject of the post had a major project dismantling the "cult of Andy". Getting rid of Joy Street and its private club connotations was probably a big plus. Realistically non-profits need to compete with for profits for good managers. Non profit managers tend to spend an inordinate amount of time fundraising and the ones that are good at it get recruited by other organizations. If the pay and benefits are not comparable with other similar organizations, then it becomes a training ground for people moving up in the organization and then out the door to bigger better things. Staff churn can be the result. The AMC had the rep long ago that it was run by "trust fund kids" who probably had less financial incentive but tended to keep the club approach. My guess is the Trustees organization is probably awash with cash from bequests so they spend to money to upgrade their reservations to get increased usage and visibility. In general, non-profits either grow or they founder, rarely do they stay static. Growing means higher pay and more opportunities for staff to advance. Foundering organizations have a revolving door, Maine Huts and Trails is sadly a good example. World class facilities but not enough revenue to support it.

Years ago someone on VFTT (pre crash) had published a copy of a confidential long range AMC planning document and one of the things mentioned was the balancing act the club had to do to keep older members happy as they aged out while recruiting new blood to keep the club viable. The older members retention was driven by the fact that there was a potentially large pool of cash that may be bequeathed to the club if the club could retain the older folk's interests. They also realized that the typical older member really had no interest in actually using typical rough backcountry accommodations. The older members wanted the club to keep those backcountry options for nostalgia and the huts factor in that nostalgia while offering those who are still able to go to the huts and opportunity. The big shift was to invest in the Crawford Center (on private land free of USFS permits) to offer higher end accommodations. The same approach was used at the 100 mile wilderness facilities. Old sporting camps were bought and priority one was to gut and rebuild all the accommodations to a much higher standard. As mentioned during the Crystal Cascade hut permitting, the club had plenty of donors line up to pay for it long before the permits were in place. I think many of the recent backcountry shelter rebuilds are funded by bequests.

MATC at one point reportedly put in a policy that they would no longer name new buildings after people. They are currently in fundraising for the new trail crew/training facilities in Skowhegan, to date I have not seen them selling naming rights or plaques. ( I wonder if they can resist naming a future building in honor of Dave Field of Lester Kenway who have basically run the club for 40 plus years) My guess is AMC would have sold out naming rights long ago.

 

[egilbe]

MATC at one point reportedly put in a policy that they would no longer name new buildings after people. They are currently in fundraising for the new trail crew/training facilities in Skowhegan, to date I have not seen them selling naming rights or plaques. ( I wonder if they can resist naming a future building in honor of Dave Field of Lester Kenway who have basically run the club for 40 plus years) My guess is AMC would have sold out naming rights long ago.

I don't know why they would want to. Those two are very well known to MATC members. Very deserving of recognition.

 

[roadtripper]

Hopefully the first thing the new president does is change the logo. The public overwhelming hates the new one. I now worry that the Trustees are getting an arrogant leader that doesn't really listen to feedback well.

 

[peakbagger]

I don't know why they would want to. Those two are very well known to MATC members. Very deserving of recognition.

I got the fundraising for the new Maine Trail Center over the holidays and MATC is definitely naming anything they can hang a plaque on. The new center is not on the AT so I suppose that they can keep up the policy on the AT (if it is an official policy).

Lester and Dave and many other long term MATC folks are honored https://trailchampions.matc.org/donate/

 

[skiguy]

Hopefully the first thing the new president does is change the logo. The public overwhelming hates the new one. I now worry that the Trustees are getting an arrogant leader that doesn't really listen to feedback well.

Arrogance is and has been the AMC’s biggest issue for decades. That’s why many folks like myself disdain their entire operation. The “Stickman” logo is a prime example of their ignorance, self perceived superiority and non adapting organizational paradigm. Not to mention money that is spent in a futile matter while using money earned from leases on public lands. IMO they have lost sight a long time ago of being stewards for the land in place of serving a narrow clientele.

 

[Grey J]

I had to refresh my memory and look up the new logo. Wow! That is astoundingly bad. It has to be the stupidest, ugliest, most hard to decipher logo ever designed. It's as if they held a contest and intentionally picked the most abstruse and ridiculous design on purpose. I know nothing about the people past or present who are making decisions at AMC, but if this is an example of their leadership, it does not bode well.

 

[Mike P.]

I had to refresh my memory and look up the new logo. Wow! That is astoundingly bad. It has to be the stupidest, ugliest, most hard to decipher logo ever designed. It's as if they held a contest and intentionally picked the most abstruse and ridiculous design on purpose. I know nothing about the people past or present who are making decisions at AMC, but if this is an example of their leadership, it does not bode well.

It must have been cheaper to make as it is all B&W. I guess I'll have to keep my current car so I can have the old logo on my side window.... (Well, I haven't been a member in a couple of years)

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

I did not think up this reading of the ugly new AMC logo, and I do not have their permission to write the name of the person who did, who does not AFAIK post here. Howsomever, I cannot not share their wit either, so here goes: That Tinkertoy-looking logo just spells "COMA."

I recall that about 1984 there was a logo change here also, but that was only a modification that kept the pine tree and the mountain.

As others have noted, Ms. Arnold does have 18 years with the AMC, knows the players, has thought about strengths and weaknesses. She is in a better position to shepherd it than an outsider would be, and if she does that well then she has an inside track to a permanent appointment. By no means a bad thing, AMC's arrogance notwithstanding.