Buchanan, Robert W - President of Polar Bears International
Robert grew up in south central Florida , just above the Everglades , in the late 1950s and '60s. The wildlife there was plentiful and the human population was relatively small in comparison with today. This gave him a chance to truly understand the importance of nature and the complexities of ecosystems. Robert graduated with degrees in both marketing and finance and went to work for one of the top beverage companies, where for 35 years he was deeply involved in creating products and taking them to market. In the mid-'80s he started traveling to the Far North, where he quickly became passionate about its incredible beauty and uniqueness. A little over two decades ago Robert saw his first polar bear in the wild and ever since that moment he’s gone back each year to experience the incredible creatures that stole his heart. Roughly six years ago he was asked to join the Board of Directors of Polar Bears Alive and to write a long-term business plan. He and his wife, Carolyn, took on the task with a great deal of enthusiasm, from this emerged Polar Bears International®. With its mission of Conservation through Research and Education it has emerged as the key resource center for polar bear information. The assignment has become a full-time volunteer position for the two of them, and they have brought together a strong team of volunteers from around the world. Robert's vision is to help the world understand the importance of the Far North and polar bears and to empower individuals to have a sense of immediacy about how we take care of this precious planet.
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