New TPL Board Chairman Announced

SAN FRANCISCO, California, 10/23/03 – George P. Denny III, a partner in a private equity group in Boston, today was elected as the new Chairman of the Board of the Trust for Public Land, a national conservation organization.

Denny, the current vice-chairman, was chosen at the board’s annual fall meeting to replace Christopher Glenn Sawyer of Atlanta, who will step down after seven years as chairman. Sawyer, who will remain on the board, is a partner with Alston & Bird, specializing in corporate governance, real estate and conservation law.

Denny, of Boston, is a partner in Halpern, Denny & Company, a private equity group in Boston. He is also managing partner of Denny Land & Cattle Company, a family farming and ranching business with operations in California, Oregon, and Nevada.

Denny has been a TPL board member for 10 years. In addition to serving as vice-chairman, he leads the TPL board’s long-range planning committee. He has also been active in his support of TPL efforts in New England, and has been a member of TPL’s New England Advisory Council since 1997.

“For the past decade, it has been a privilege to contribute to TPL’s mission of conserving land for people around the nation and I look forward to serving in my new role,” said Denny. “It will be difficult, if not impossible, to fill the shoes of Chris Sawyer, but I am glad we will have the benefit of his continued wisdom as we deal with new opportunities ahead.”

Denny received his B.A. and M.B.A degrees from Harvard University and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Harvard University Center for the Environment. In addition, he is a former member of the Board of the Maine Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and is a partner in Boston Common Press, which publishes Cook’s Illustrated magazine.

Sawyer noted, “it has been an honor to serve TPL as chairman these past seven years. The work that my fellow Board members have done, in conjunction with the dedicated TPL staff around the nation, has changed and preserved the American landscape in positive and lasting ways. I believe George Denny is the right person to lead TPL to new, even more far-reaching achievements. I look forward to continuing to work with him and the rest of the board.”

During Sawyer’s 7-year tenure, TPL completed 1,182 projects, protecting 689,704 acres with a fair market value of $1,966,925,452.

Will Rogers, president of TPL, said, “For the past decade, George Denny has been integral to shaping the vision and future of TPL. His knowledge of TPL, combined with his vision and his leadership, make him the perfect person to lead TPL now. His wealth of business, financial and strategic experience will be a key asset for TPL.”

Rogers also said, “I am also happy that Chris will remain with us to offer his advice and vision, which have been so vitally important to TPL’s numerous accomplishments these past seven years.

The Trust for Public Land, established in 1972, specializes in conservation real estate, applying its expertise in negotiations, public finance, and law, to protect land for people to enjoy as parks, greenways, community gardens, urban playgrounds, and wilderness. TPL depends upon the support of individuals, foundations, and corporations. Across the nation, TPL has helped protect more than 1.6 million acres.