"Hail to the Chief!"

On May 1, 1996, President & Chairman of the N.G.S., Gilbert Melville Grosvenor retired as Society President. The Hubbard-Bell-Grosvenor family led the Magazine and Society from 1888-1996. 

He was born May 5, 1931. Gilbert is currently 95 years of age!

Upon stepping back  he was succeeded by Reg. Murphy, who was an outsider hired in 1993 to be groomed as the corporatized "change agent" to start doing all the 'dirty work' of downsizing the Society by terminating tons of staff and curbing and consolidating programs and divisions within the organization. It was quite demoralizing and unpleasant [e.g., his words], and was a multi-year process. He was eased out after less than 2 years, followed by John M. Fahey, who continued the pogroms, but in a more "subtle" and slick manner. 

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Gilbert M. Grosvenor first joined the Society as an employee in 1954 as a picture editor within the Magazine staff. He spent years working his way through various positions and departments of the Society & magazine. In 1970 he became Editor-in-Chief of 'NGM'.

His first byline as Editor was w/ the January 1971 issue, though he was already editor for months prior; indeed, the December issue featuring "Our Ecological Crisis" package was largely "his baby".

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During this timeframe, Gilbert spear-headed the transformation of the long-running "School Bulletin" into the new 'WORLD' magazine, a monthly magazine aimed at a larger, non-school year exclusive publication -- 100% free of advertising.

In 1980, due to the illness of then-President Robert E. Doyle, Gilbert reluctantly left the editorship --a something he described as "the best job in the world", and took the reigns of the top post leading the Society. Melvin M. Payne was then Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Doyle then retired after 46 years, remaining as Vice-Chairman. 

Gilbert's first byline in the Magazine as President was w/ the October 1980 issue.

Gilbert Grosvenor's announcement in the October 1980 issue --->

Wilbur E. Garrett's "hello" and thanks in the November 1980 issue --->

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While President, Gilbert greatly expanded the Society's activities, among other things, founding the Education Foundation, commencing the nation-wide Geography in Schools initiative, launched "Traveler" magazine in 1984, and inaugurated the annual Washington, D.C. teachers workshops. With Melvin Payne, they launched the important and commendable publication, "Research - A Scholarly Journal", which superseded + discontinued the green book-format 'Research Reports' volumes (e.g., 1968-1984/85). And, for the school youth of America -- the now long-running annual "GEO-Bee" put on each year at Society headquarters, emceed for eons by Alex Trebek.

Specific educational programs launched by Gil Grosvenor --->

1. The National Geographic State Alliance Program (1985)

   This was Grosvenor’s flagship educational initiative, launched to address the lack of geography education in schools. It established a network of state-based alliances connecting K-12 teachers with university geography departments.

2. The National Geographic Bee ("GeoBee")

   Launched in 1989, the GeoBee was a direct result of Grosvenor's push for geographic awareness

3. Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship Program (2006)

   Established in honor of Grosvenor’s 75th birthday through a partnership with Lindblad Expeditions.

4. Institutional Legacy --

   • Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education: Established at Texas State University, this center continues his work by offering teacher training, hosting the Grosvenor Distinguished Lecture Series, and managing the "Flagship Alliance" program. 

   • My Wonderful World: A national campaign launched later in his tenure to advocate for the importance of geography in schools and public life.

In 1987, due to personal illness, etc., Melvin M. Payne gave up his chairmanship seat (becoming "Chairman Emeritus"), and Gilbert became the new Board of Trustees Chairman, a position he held until the end of 2010. Mr. Payne also served on the Committee for Research & Exploration for decades. He passed away in 1990, having served the Society with distinction & accomplishment for 58 years, being hired by Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor. 

Gil Grosvenor made a determined effort to be a "hands-off" Chairman, in order to give his successors 'space' and opportunity to enact their goals and so-called strategic visions. Although, behind the scenes, Grosvenor did need to intervene to 're-adjust' Reg Murphy's position from President/CEO, to Vice-Chairman of the Board only. He also thought John Fahey was a genius and one of the best decisions he ever made was to hire him from Time Warner to head the then-newly for-profit National Geographic Ventures (a wholly taxable Society subsidiary to manage all the commercial & media projects and products, etc., commenced April 1996).

And yet, it seems that years later, [amidst financial woes and declining donations, membership, and endowments, plus numerous internal + external embarrassments and debacles that sullied both the Society and The Magazine reputations under Fahey's watch] Grosvenor and the Board eased Fahey out of the CEO position at the end of 2013, leaving him only as Chairman, until he left the Society anyway in 2016. 

* Fahey had basically eliminated the position of President in 2012, when Tim. T. Kelly resigned in protest of Fahey's heavy-handed tactics and inability to groom and/or pass on leadership; Kelly had become President in January 2011, when Grosvenor relinquished Chairman, and Fahey became CEO & Chairman. After Kelly's departure, Fahey gave a silly, immature interview where he giggled and said, among other nonsense, that "we don't really need a president anyway".

Disgustingly, John Fahey also devalued the Society's lay membership, did not respect it or think it even needed to be cultivated or maintained; he vocalized multiples times and in-memo that he thought 'NGM' itself should be terminated in the 1998-2004 timeframe, and also, he thought the term "Society" in the organization's name was obsolete and useless and dragging down the viability and "cool factor" -- this is something the following CEO/President, Gary E. Knell quashed and moved quickly to reinstitute:  continuity of "We" and "Us" and membership values....he honored "Society" as a concept & goal.

Also under Fahey's tenure, the CEO of National Geographic Channels, David Lyle, gave a ridiculous address to a TV industry convention, that "the only people who like and read the National Geographic Magazine are [either] old people, or dead people...." Lyle and the audience then roared in laughter. Lyle was subsequently summoned to Society H.Q. to report to the Board on this transgression; he later "retired" (i.e., forced out) in 2014. 

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Gilbert M. Grosvenor remained as a member of the Society's Board of Trustees from January 2011, through June 2014.

SEE page spread in March 2015 issue of 'NGM' below --->

Why 'National Geographic' is a Family Affair - NGM.com -- [LINK HERE]:

Other honors and achievements for Gilbert M. Grosvenor:

- In 1979, he became the first journalist to dive beneath the North Pole's ice shelf.

- In 1996, Grosvenor was awarded a gold medal by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the Scottish Geographical Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

- In 1996, Grosvenor received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, presented by Awards Council member Sylvia Earle.

- Honorary Director of The Explorers Club, 1996-2020's.

- founding of the Gilbert M. Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education at Texas State University in 1998.

[LINK} - G.M.G. Center for Geographic Education -- Overview:

[LINK] - G.M.G. Center for Geographic Education -- About Us:

- Gilbert M. Grosvenor was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom --the highest civilian honor in the United States-- by President George W. Bush on June 23, 2004, at the White House. 

Here below, December 2004 issue 'NGM'---> 

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For 16 years as President of the Society, and Chairman for 23, Gilbert M. Grosvenor dutifully & lovingly nurtured the Society, its programs, and the Membership - in effect, Us. He spoke with us regularly via his President's Page (aka 'From the President') and made us all feel like family . . . the family of man all engaged on one big ride & adventure through life, on a rock called Earth, and all that is on it. 

I grew up in my childhood during Grosvenor's and Garrett's time in charge of the Society and The Magazine --a golden age-- (I am a child of the 1980s + 90s), and Gilbert M. Grosvenor's retirement from the leadership of N.G.S. coincided with my high school graduation, so it was the end of an era(s) in more ways than one for me. I was personally saddened. At least he remained on the Board for years, and indeed, from 2010 - 2022, his daughter Alexandra "Lexi" Grosvenor-Eller was also a Trustee on the Board. 

Looking back even now, I still mourn his departure and the all the changes in the wake of that, and on into the 21st-century and the so-called "new media + information landscape" which I find deleterious to authentic, authoritative dissemination of knowledge among all people. 

Actually, even Mr. Grosvenor himself lamented such in his 2022 memoir he co-wrote w/ Mark Collins Jenkins (former official historian of the Society). He opined the changes at N.G.S. and wished they need not have happened. I agree, Mr. Grosvenor. 

The book and link to it are below --->

[LINK] -- A Man of the World: My Life at National Geographic (c. 2022)

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And now finally, as per the Hubbard-Bell-Grosvenor influence and legacy . . . none other than Maynard Owen Williams --legendary dean of The Geographic's foreign staff-- once counseled to Melville Bell Grosvenor back in 1954:

"The Society is NOT a family affair, but no one will ever make the same impress on it as the Grosvenor family has made, is making, and will [continue to] make."

Were truer words never spoken? Gratitude, and 'all hail' to: Gardiner Greene Hubbard, Alexander Graham Bell, Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, Melville Bell Grosvenor, and Gilbert Melville Grosvenor. WELL DONE, ALL.

             ~ Scott T. Shier

* for further reference:

'Grokipedia: RE: Gilbert M. Grosvenor

and,

* * a little background on visionary & Society mega-asset, Tim T. Kelly:

Timothy "Tim" T. Kelly is an American media executive, film producer, and conservationist. He is recognized for his role in moving the National Geographic Society from a primarily print-based organization to a multimedia global force in television and digital media. Kelly engineered the worldwide launch of the National Geographic Channel in 1997, followed  by its U.S.A. launch in January 2001, and was named President of National Geographic in 2011. He also served as President & CEO of the National Geographic Global Media group and President/CEO of National Geographic Ventures. Kelly announced he would be leaving National Geographic in September 2012.

Kelly joined the National Geographic Society as an executive producer in its television division (then under Dennis Kane and Thomas Skinner). In 1985, he created the award-winning National Geographic Explorer series and went on to serve as President of National Geographic Television. Under his leadership, the National Geographic Television won 138 Emmy Awards.

In 1997, Kelly oversaw the development of the National Geographic Channel. The channel was launched in Europe and Australia initially, and expanded into the United States in 2001. As of 2012, it has a presence in 173 countries. In March 2010, he also presided over the launch of Nat Geo WILD, a sister channel focused on animal-related programs.

Kelly also created National Geographic Films—which won an Academy Award for March of the Penguins (2005) and received an Oscar nomination for Restrepo (2010)—and National Geographic Cinema Ventures group, which distributes films to both theatrical and giant-screen movie outlets globally. He was executive producer of IMAX Films such as: Mysteries of Egypt (1998), Lions 3D: Roar of the Kalahari (2005), Forces of Nature (2004), Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (2005), The Last Lions (2011), and Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West (2002).

MY VERDICT:  

At numerous and key intervals, Tim Kelly was wasted, his talents & ideas discarded or hijacked by others. It was tragic to have had him 'run off'.