Diary of a Cemetery CEO: A Winning Summer for Oakland
This summer has brought a huge amount of energy and excitement to Atlanta as the World Cup came to town. While my beloved England left me heartbroken (again), I’ve found a huge amount of joy and inspiration from being around all of the kids onsite at Oakland.
The noise and energy of the Oakland Campers is infectious, and knowing that many of the kids in our summer camps are local, and that Oakland has become a big part of their summer routine is especially heartwarming.
Additionally, after spending time earlier this year talking to the seven Oakland Roots Academy Green Leaders about leadership and seeing them put words into action as they manage their peers has been especially fun to watch. The cemetery is looking better than ever, and the Oakland Roots Academy have done so much to make that happen – check out the great write-up about the program in the AJC.
Something I’m excited about:
We just wrapped three days of interviews and filming for a short documentary we’re making to mark Historic Oakland Foundation’s 50th Anniversary (stay tuned, it’s going to be brilliant), and are already in full preparation mode for the Fall. In addition to our annual slate of signature events, I’m especially excited about our Golden Jubilee celebratory picnic. This is going to be a special celebratory evening for all who love Oakland and Historic Oakland Foundation to celebrate and raise a glass to the last 50 years.
Something I learned:
It’s really fun to spend time with colleagues around the country learning from their experiences, and I had the pleasure of hosting Nancy Goldenberg, the CEO of Lauren Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia this week. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at how for-profit historic cemeteries operate is fascinating, and it’s fun to compare notes and learn from other professionals around the country, even if the context is a little (or lot) different.
Something I’m craving:
If you ask any of the Historic Oakland Foundation staff, they’d tell you that I’m not much of a salad guy, but next time you’re at Oakland, head to Birdcage on Memorial Drive for the Kale Salad with the tofu. I don’t know what they’re doing to that kale, but it is incredible, and Kristy [Gomez, our Senior Director of Marketing & Communications] has been talking about it all summer.
Something I’m reading:
After wrestling with my own tree problems at my house--I had to have a large tulip poplar taken down sadly--and spending time thinking about and experiencing Oakland’s amazing tree canopy, I’ve really been enjoying Jill Jonnes Urban Forests: A Natural history of Trees and People in the American Cityscape: “They [trees] are not only critical to public and individual health but are also the dominant component of what is now called green infrastructure, defining space, mitigating storm water, cooling the air, soothing our psyches, and connecting us to nature and to our past.” Check it out if, like me, you’ve been taking Atlanta’s amazing tree canopy for granted this summer.
As we get ready to head back to school—and I frantically do the back-to-school shopping for my son that I’ve been putting off for weeks—I hope I’ll see you at Oakland soon. If you’ve never experienced our family-friendly Finally, Friday event, then I hope we’ll see you on Friday, August 7th at the Visitor Center.
Stay cool!
Richard Harker, CEO & President
Historic Oakland Foundation
