Contact Niki McDaniel The Nature Conservancy of Texas (210) 301-5612 (210) 487-9598 (cell) nmcdaniel@tnc.org Paco Felici The Nature Conservancy of Texas (210) 301-5611 (512) 784-2375 (cell) pfelici@tnc.org  Photos Click image to enlarge  Rick Eason, director of philanthropy. Photo courtesy  of Rick Eason.  Download larger photo (155kb)

AUSTIN—February 3, 2009—The Nature Conservancy of Texas has named Rick Eason of Austin as the organization’s new Director of Philanthropy. Eason is the former Vice President for Development at the University of Texas at Austin.

As Director of Philanthropy, Eason will provide leadership for The Nature Conservancy’s fundraising efforts throughout Texas. Prior to his work at the University of Texas, Eason served as senior consultant at  Marts & Lundy Inc. and directed development operations at Southwestern University in Georgetown.

“We are very pleased to have a fundraising professional of Rick Eason’s caliber joining our efforts to conserve Texas’ most important ecological features,” said Laura Huffman, State Director for The Nature Conservancy of Texas. “Not only does Rick come to us with a deep commitment to conservation, we believe he brings the level of expertise we need in these uncertain economic times.”

In addition, Terry Quinn of Austin has joined The Nature Conservancy of Texas as Associate Director of Philanthropy. She formerly served as Director of Development for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.

Quinn will represent The Nature Conservancy as a fundraiser in Austin. Both will be based in the Conservancy’s Austin office.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 18 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 117 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at nature.org. In the Lone Star State, The Nature Conservancy of Texas owns more than 30 nature preserves and conservation projects and assists private landowners to conserve their land through more than 100 voluntary land-preservation agreements. The Nature Conservancy of Texas protects some 250,000 acres of wild lands and, with partners, has conserved 750,000 acres for wildlife habitat across the state. Visit The Nature Conservancy of Texas on the Web at nature.org/texas.