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Chicago businesswoman and philanthropist Eileen Sutz bequeaths $2.45 million to benefit wolves in North America

In one of the largest donations made in support of wolves, Eileen Sutz, a native Chicagoan, has bequeathed her estate to three organizations dedicated to educating the public about wolves in North America. The recipients of her gift, Yellowstone Forever, the International Wolf Center, and Wolf Park will share in the funds equally. Each organization has plans to expand their wolf education programs and research with the support and vision of Ms.Sutz behind them.

Eileen Sutz, a lifelong wolf advocate, had strong feelings about protecting and supporting wolves. Believing they were misunderstood and unjustly maligned, she saw the importance of educating people about wolves and protecting the wolf population.

Ms. Sutz’s connection to wolves began in her youth. As a ballet dancer, model, and free spirit ahead of her time, she overcame many obstacles in pursuit of her dreams. She often experienced being misunderstood and constrained by the confines of conventional life, and found strength and resonance with wolves. She admired and found inspiration in their independence, loyalty, and resilience as well as their beauty and gracefulness.

Over the years, Ms. Sutz’s successful business career allowed her to pursue many of her passions including founding a theater company, supporting animal rescue organizations, and traveling the world to follow the Rolling Stones on tour for over 10 years, but her most enduring and passionate interest remained the welfare of wolves.

Physical ailments led to Ms. Sutz being homebound in her later years, and during that time she devoured news about wolves and began passionately defending them at any given opportunity. “It kept her fulfilled to keep working to support wolves,” says longtime friend Klaus Boettcher. “At the same time, it was devastating and depressing to see what was happening to them. She really wanted to support changing the narrative about wolves.”

Following Ms. Sutz’s unexpected passing from a stroke in February 2022, the search began to find organizations that fulfilled her vision, specifically those that supported wolf education and research and weren’t laden with bureaucracy. The three selected organizations have spent the past several months determining how they’ll expand their efforts thanks to the gift from Ms. Sutz. New studies about wolves are planned, new initiatives to train volunteers are in the works, and a new wolf education center is being considered, among other initiatives.

“Eileen would be so happy to know that she was able to make a difference in the lives of wolves, now and in the years to come,” Boettcher said. “Her legacy will live on.”

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About the three recipients of the

Eileen Sutz Estate donation on behalf of wolves

Below are summaries of the three organizations that will share in the Eileen Sutz Estate, and their plans for the donations they will receive:

Yellowstone Forever

Yellowstone Forever is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. It helps fund priority projects in Yellowstone to protect, preserve, and enhance the park through education and philanthropy.

“A gift of this magnitude is truly transformational and will allow the Yellowstone Wolf Project to continue its over 25-year groundbreaking research to better understand and coexist with wolves,” said Lisa Diekmann, President and CEO of Yellowstone Forever.

Eileen Sutz’s estate gift will provide substantial support to Yellowstone’s Wolf Project team to continue its year-round monitoring and field research in which biologists gain data on the park’s wolf population dynamics, social behavior, ecosystem impacts, human-wolf relationships, and much more.

International Wolf Center

The International Wolf Center has sought to teach the world about wolves since it was founded in 1985 by Dr. L. David Mech. The Center welcomes 40,000 visitors a year to its interpretive center in Ely, Minnesota, and it informs the public through a busy website, quarterly magazine, virtual learning, and webinars.

The Center will use the Eileen Sutz estate funding to train new wolf educators across the world so they can spread the science about this misunderstood apex predator. “Thanks to these funds, our organization has a huge opportunity to leverage our community of followers around the world through the launching of a wolf educator training program,” Executive Director Grant Spickelmier said. “By training and equipping community wolf educators we can reach new audiences that might not otherwise hear from the International Wolf Center and simultaneously create a new set of engaged volunteers and champions for science-based wolf education. We like to think that Eileen herself would have been the first person to sign up.”

Wolf Park

Along with the celebration of their 50th anniversary in 2022, the staff, volunteers and board of Wolf Park in Battle Ground, Indiana, have reinvigorated their work to make their strategic visions a reality. Since 1972 Wolf Park’s team has worked steadfastly to provide naturalistic habitats for animals in their care, foster the creation of wildlife corridors and rewilded areas on its property to support our local ecosystems, and to offer spaces for the humans who work and learn at the facility to most effectively care for and learn from their wildlife ambassadors. Using Eileen Sutz’s gift, one of their many goals is improving buildings and exhibit areas to enhance the visitor experience and provide increased opportunities for educating about wolves and the value of their role in our environment.

Wolf Park is in the initial planning phases of a capital project that will include educational space named in honor of Sutz. “On behalf of future Wolf Park visitors of all ages, I wholeheartedly thank Eileen for thinking of the future of wild wolves and planning for how she can support their conservation for years to come,” Executive Director Karah Rawlings said. “Eileen’s legacy will have a permanent impact on the future of Wolf Park, and will allow us to continue to educate many generations about the importance of our vision to Save Wolves, Save Wilderness.”

Contacts:

Yellowstone Forever

Sam Barkley
Chief Development Officer
Phone: 406-848-2400
Email: sbarkley@yellowstone.org
Website: www.yellowstone.org

International Wolf Center
Grant Spickelmier
Executive Director
Phone: 763-233-7132
Email: grant@wolf.org
Website: www.wolf.org

Wolf Park
Karah Rawlings
Executive Director
Phone: 765-714-5291
Email: Karah@wolfpark.org
Website : www.wolfpark.org

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International Wolf Center has kicked off its 10th Annual Wolf Care Auction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Krista Harrington
International Wolf Center
Address: 1396 Highway 169, Ely, MN 55731
Phone: 218-365-4695
Email: wolfcareauction@wolf.org

International Wolf Center has kicked off its 10th Annual Wolf Care Auction.

Ely, MN – The International Wolf Center is pleased to announce the opening of its 10th Annual Wolf Care Auction. The auction features a variety of artisan-made wolf-themed art, collectibles, photography, and the most sought-after items, knitted items containing wolf-shed fur from the Center’s ambassador wolves. The auction began on February 26 at 8 a.m. CDT and will end at noon CDT on Sunday, March 10, 2024.

The auction includes several items made by staff, such as Lino cut prints by Wolf Care Assistant Curator Abby Keller and hand-knit wrist warmers by Member Relations Manager Manisha Nordine.

“Our Wolf Care Auction provides a unique opportunity for individuals to support the Center’s mission to promote wolf education,” said Interpretive Center Director Krista Woerheidi. “All proceeds from the auction will support the exceptional care of the ambassador wolves provided daily by the wolf care staff.”

To place your bids, you will need to create an account first. A short video on how to use ClickBid is available on the International Wolf Center’s website. Please note that regulations covering wolf-shed items vary among states based on the protective status of wolves. State regulations prohibit the International Wolf Center from shipping these items to the following states: CA, CO, FL, IL, NE, NM, NY, VA, and WA. If you bid on an item containing wolf hair and reside in one of these states, your bid will be canceled.

The International Wolf Center is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to advance the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands, and the human role in their future.

For more information, please contact the International Wolf Center at wolfcareauction@wolf.org.

 

 

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Special event on wolves—May 24 in Ely

For immediate release

Contact: Grant Spickelmier, executive director
Email: grant@wolf.org
Phone: 763-233-7132

Special event on wolves is May 24 in Ely

International Wolf Center plans unique presentation to commemorate its 30 years in Ely

A special event is planned in Ely to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the grand opening of the International Wolf Center. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, at the State Theater in Ely.

After an introduction by the Center’s Executive Director, Grant Spickelmier, a reporter and photographer from the Star Tribune will share findings and information from a key series they worked on together in 2022 called State of Wolves. The work by Greg Stanley and Anthony Souffle was published by the Star Tribune as a special section and shared information about the natural and cultural history of wolves in Minnesota. Following their presentation, they’ll be joined on stage by the Center’s founder, Dr. L. David Mech, who will discuss his research in northern Minnesota and how that work led to the creation of the International Wolf Center.

“We’re so excited to have this great program in Ely,” Spickelmier said. “I’ve seen the presentation from Anthony and Greg and it really highlights the special place that wolves occupy in Minnesota and Ely and the unique group of people that work with and study them. The story of how the International Wolf Center came to be, which Dave will talk about, is a fascinating one. Together, the two presentations will be both interesting and informative. We really hope we can fill the theater for this special event.”

The event is free, but pre-registration is required and seating is limited.

To register, visit bit.ly/stateofwolves.

The International Wolf Center was founded in 1985, and its interpretive center opened in Ely in 1993. Nearly 40,000 people per year visit the Center. In April 2017, the Center celebrated its one millionth visitor.

“During these 30 great years, we’ve welcomed people from all over the world into the Center,” said Interpretive Center Director Krista Woerheide. “We’re proud to be located in Ely and look forward to attracting even more visitors in the years to come.”

New wolf curator hired at International Wolf Center

Contact: Chad Richardson
Email: chad@wolf.org
Phone: 763-233-7138

New wolf curator hired at International Wolf Center

Center’s longtime curator to remain on staff to assist with the transition

 

A new wolf curator in training has joined the staff at the International Wolf Center. The hire was announced by the Center’s current Wolf Curator, Lori Schmidt. 

Giselle Narvaez Rivera began work at the Center on Jan. 23. 

Schmidt will remain on staff, full-time, throughout the year to help with the transition and training period.

While this role is new for Narvaez Rivera, she is not new at the Center.

Schmidt and Narvaez Rivera first met in 2014 when Narvaez Rivera was a wolf ethology student at the Center. 

“While graduate school opportunities led her down a different path, her passion for wolves and the Center’s educational mission remained strong,” Schmidt said.  “In the short time she has been employed, we already have some positive greetings from the wolves through the fence. The process of integrating into the pack and gaining the wolves’ trust will take several months.”

From 2013-2019, Narvaez Rivera was a research assistant for the Monkey Bridge Project, conducting, analyzing and interpreting primate behavior. She was also an animal caretaker in 2013 and 2015 at the Jaguar Rescue Center in Costa Rica, where she gained diverse, hands-on experience in animal care.  Narvaez Rivera has extensive teaching experience creating curricular content, advising and mentoring undergraduate students and fostering students’ commitment to lifelong learning.

Narvaez Rivera earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Ecology in 2015 and her Masters of Arts in Biological Anthropology in 2017 from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Her Master’s thesis involved assessing conflict resolution between residents in Gandoca, Costa Rica, and three neotropical primates. 

Among many other awards, she is the recipient of the 2019 Andrews Fellowship and the Environmental Research Award from Purdue University, where she was pursuing her PhD in Anthropology.  She is fluent in English and Spanish and has a strong understanding of cultural diversity.

 

The International Wolf Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future. For more information about the Center, visit wolf.org.

International Wolf Center to add two pups in 2022

Newest pups will be part of programs starting around June 3

Contact information:

Chad Richardson, Communications Director, International Wolf Center

Email: chad@wolf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – The International Wolf Center is adding two pups to its Exhibit Pack in 2022. The pups arrived at the Center on Tuesday, May 10.

The 2022 pups will be visible to the public starting on approximately Friday, June 3.

The Center believes in wolf education, and one method for accomplishing the Center’s mission of advancing survival of wolf populations in the wild is through the use of ambassador wolves.

“These ambassador wolves allow us to teach thousands of people a year about the real behavior of wolves,” said Lori Schmidt, the Center’s wolf curator. “The Exhibit Pack is also a key part of the online programs we offer to schools across the world. These ambassadors are a key part of our aim to teach the world about wolves.”

The Center planned to add pups in 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced the Center to delay those plans for one year. In 2021, the Center planned to add two pups, but was able to obtain just one pup. Adding pups this year was important for the health of the pack, and to allow our yearling wolf Rieka to experience some pup behavior she lacked as a singleton, Schmidt said.

“So often people portray wolves for their predatory behavior and don’t appreciate the intricate pack life and social organization that keeps them together as a social unit,” she said. “As curator, it is my job to maintain a socially cohesive unit of wolves in the exhibit, and we recognize that to do this, new life must be added to the exhibit.”

The International Wolf Center is a non-breeding exhibit, so when pups are added, we coordinate with another professional animal organization. The source is dependent upon reproductive plans within their facility and availability and the Center always acquires captive-born pups.

The 2022 pups were acquired from a USDA regulated facility in Minnesota. They will join three wolves in the Exhibit Pack, including Axel (6), Grayson (6) and Rieka (who turns 1 on May 23).

How do you see the pups?

One way for visitors to see the pups is through an outdoor viewing area adjacent to the wolf  yard, where pups will be spending time conditioning to the human component of a public exhibit. These programs are dependent on the weather. They last 15-minutes each and are held throughout the day.

“We will do our best to accommodate everyone, but safety of our guests, our staff and the wolves is paramount,” said the Interpretive Center Director, Krista Woerheide.

Another way to see the 2022 wolf pups is with a one-hour behind the scenes tour. These tours are only available for members of the International Wolf Center. Information about membership is available at wolf.org.

What will their names be?

The International Wolf Center will conduct a pup naming contest beginning in early June and announce the names at a special virtual fundraising event on June 14.

Advance tickets are available for purchase

Everyone who wants to guarantee themselves a chance to see the pups should get an advance admission ticket. To get your tickets, click the Book Now button on the lower right-hand side of the page at wolf.org. For members of the Center, entrance tickets are free. It is recommended that members also book their tickets in advance.

 

 

The International Wolf Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future. For more information about the International Wolf Center, visit wolf.org.

New officers elected on International Wolf Center Board of Directors

There are new faces leading the International Wolf Center’s Board of Directors. At its meeting in December, the Center’s board elected two new officers.

The new chair of the Board of Directors is Judy Hunter.

Hunter is a retired CEO of a Girl Scout Council. She became involved with the International Wolf Center after moving to Minnesota and started volunteering in several areas, including its Alpha Legacy donor program. After she joined the Board of Directors in 2012, those opportunities expanded to include participation on the Development Committee and chairing the 2013 Symposium Task Force. She was co-chair of the 2018 International Wolf Symposium and is serving in the same capacity for the event in October 2022.

“I believe in our work providing education about wolves and believe we must help the next generation understand the environment and the role we play in its balance,” she said. “The Center has a staff, both professional and volunteer, who are dedicated to our mission. It is exciting to be an active part of the team.”

The board’s vice chair is now Rick Duncan, a Minneapolis-based attorney.

Duncan practices in the fields of environmental law, federal Indian law, and commercial litigation. He has extensive experience in the Endangered Species Act and the Wilderness Act, statutes critical to wolf conservation, and received the Sierra Club’s William O. Douglas Award in 2007. Duncan attended Yale Law School, and has been an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School.

Hunter and Duncan replace two longtime officers for the International Wolf Center. Nancy Jo Tubbs served as the board chair since the 1990’s while Dr. L. David Mech, the founder of the Center, served as vice chair. Both remain on the Board of Directors and will serve as ex-officio members of the Executive Committee for the next year to aid in the transition.

New board member welcomed

The Center also welcomed a new board member, Madan Menon.

Menon, who lives in Milpitas, California, is the COO and a board member at Innovative International Acquisition Corp, (NASDAQ: IOAC), with a 17-year career in technology startups spanning multiple countries. He specializes in building companies from the ground up, having successfully built over six companies across India, Singapore and the United States.

His love for animals from an early age had him build an interest in wildlife and conservation efforts. Outside of his work, Madan loves spending time with his family and enjoys trail running along with biking and swimming.

The International Wolf Center was founded in 1985. Its mission is to advance the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future.

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The International Wolf Center will be adding pups to its pack in 2021.

The International Wolf Center will be adding pups to its pack in 2021.

Contact information:
Chad Richardson, Communications Director, International Wolf Center
Email: chad@wolf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – The Center planned to add pups in 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced the Center to delay those plans for one year. The pups are expected to arrive in early to mid-May and they will be visible to the public starting on approximately Friday, June 4.

The Center believes in wolf education, and one method for accomplishing the Center’s mission of advancing survival of wolf populations in the wild is through the use of ambassador wolves.

“There are countless benefits when visitors experience the Center’s socialized wolves that offer a glimpse into the individual traits of wolves, showing the social nature of the species that makes it successful as a top-level predator,” said Lori Schmidt, the Center’s wolf curator. “So often people portray wolves for their predatory behavior and don’t appreciate the intricate pack life and social organization that keeps them together as a social unit. As curator, it is my job to maintain a socially cohesive unit of wolves in the exhibit, and we recognize that to do this, new life must be added to the exhibit.”

The pandemic does mean there will be some changes at the Center this summer. The 2021 pups will not be part of the Center’s hourly indoor programs.

“Because of Covid-19 restrictions, we will be offering outdoor viewing opportunities that will require pre-registration to participate in a 15-minute pup viewing opportunity,” said Interpretive Center Director Krista Harrington. “We will do our best to accommodate everyone, but safety of our guests, our staff and the wolves is paramount and opportunities may be weather dependent.”

Another way to see the 2021 wolf pups is with a one-hour behind the scenes tour. These tours are only available for members of the International Wolf Center. Information about membership is available at wolf.org.

Advance tickets are required for everyone

Everyone who visits the Center in 2021 must purchase advance tickets. To get your tickets, click the Book Now button on the lower right-hand side of the page at wolf.org. For members of the Center, entrance tickets are free. Members are also required to book tickets in advance so that we can ensure everyone’s safety.

Your pup viewing opportunity must be booked for the same day as your general admission.

What will their names be?

The International Wolf Center will conduct a pup naming contest beginning in early June and announce the names at a special virtual fundraising event on June 15.

Where are the pups coming from?

The International Wolf Center is a non-breeding exhibit, so when pups are added, we coordinate with another professional animal organization. The source is dependent upon reproductive plans within their facility and availability. We always acquire captive-born pups. This year we are coordinating again with the Wildlife Science Center in Stacy, Minnesota. They collaborated with the International Wolf Center first in 2008 to provide pups Aidan and Denali and had pups ready for us in 2020, but the International Wolf Center had to cancel the transfer due to Covid-19.

In 2021, we are planning to integrate the Northwestern subspecies into our Exhibit Pack.

The Wildlife Science Center has more than 100 wolves and is an active participant in both the Mexican gray wolf and red wolf Species Survival Plan program.

The mission of WSC is to serve as an educational resource for all ages by: providing exposure to wild animals and the body of knowledge generated for their conservation; to advance understanding of wild animal biology through long-term, humane scientific studies on captive populations, thus contributing to technical training for wildlife agencies, educational institutions and conservation agencies.

 

The International Wolf Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future. For more information about the International Wolf Center, visit wolf.org.

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