OCHS Board of Directors

Kevin currently serves as President of the Board of Directors. He is a physician who retired in 2002 to Ridgway with his family after serving 30 years in the United States Army. He specialized in Ophthalmology and is a recognized sub-specialist in the field of Glaucoma having conducted extensive research on this ocular disorder.

Dr. Chismire earned his B.S. from the University of Notre Dame (1972), attended the University of Kansas Medical Center, interned in San Antonio, Texas at Brooke Army Medical Center and did his residency in Ophthalmology at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Chismire served as a Special Forces Battalion Surgeon with the 5th Special Forces Group stationed at Bad Tolz, West Germany; served on the Staff of Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington; and taught at the University of Washington School Of Medicine.

He and his wife, Joan, both grew up in Denver, Colorado and moved to Ridgway, Colorado permanently in February 2002 along with their two sons Neill and Bryce.

Kevin’s interests include running, biking, climbing, backpacking and collecting western books and memorabilia, especially items relating to the early exploration and mapping of the American West by the Army Corps of Engineers

Penelope Miller Hanshaw was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1931. She joined the United States Geological Survey for a 38-year career there after earning her Bachelor's degree in Geology from Wellesley College in 1953. Penny married Bruce B. Hanshaw, also a geologist, in l954. Her assignments as a geologist included: The Colorado Plateau Uranium Exploration Program (1953-4), the New England and Connecticut Cooperative Geologic Mapping Programs(1954-1962), Technical editing (1963-1974), Head of technical and geologic map editing units in Denver, CO (l954-59) and Reston,VA,(1975-8) and Deputy Chief Geologist 1978-1986 with responsibilities for scientific personnel. In l986 she became Field Trip Guide Editor for the 28th International Geologic Congress held in Washington, D.C. in 1989.

Penny retired in 1990 to do family care-giving in her home and after her husband's death in 1998, moved to Ouray, CO in early 2001 where she became a volunteer at the Museum--working especially with the William Ross Moore collection of books on the geology and mining history of the San Juan region.

Her activities besides the Museum include the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program (helping handicapped children and adults ski and ride horseback), Polar Bears (a senior aerobic exercise group),WISE (women's public school support group), High Country Trail Riders, women's Celtic and knitting groups, the Democratic Party and the Ouray Fire Protection Board.

Tom is currently Vice-President of the Board of Directors. He obtained his BA Degree from Bowling Green Ohio State University and his JD from Ohio State University. Subsequently he joined the Procter and Gamble Company of Cincinnati Ohio and retired as an Associate General Counsel after 30 years of service.

Tom grew up on Bellevue, Ohio. He has two sons and four grandchildren. He and his wife Sue currently live between Ouray and Ridgway, Co.

He is a member of the Red Mountain Task Force and his interests include history, particularly that of mining, railroading and the postal service. In addition, he enjoys hiking.

Phil graduated from Ouray High School in 1957. After receiving his B.A. degree in Political Science from Colorado University, Phil spent three years stationed in the Washington, D.C. area serving in the Army Security Agency. After his service, Phil went to work in the Investment Banking Department of the First National Bank of Chicago. After 27 years trading, underwriting and selling U.S. Government and Municipal Bonds, Phil retired and moved home to Ouray in 1992. He is serving in his third, three-year term on the board of OCHS. He also serves on the City of Ouray Board of Zoning Adjustments and the Frank Massard Trust for the Benefit of the City of Ouray.

Phil previously served on the boards of the Ouray County Arts Association, and theMagic Circle Theater in Montrose.

Mike has been a member of OCHS since 2001, but is relatively new to the Board of Directors. Mike has lived in Ouray since 2003 and is currently an Information Technology Specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Mike holds a B.S. in Geological Engineering, with a minor in Environmental Science from the Colorado School of Mines, and an M.S. in Computer Information Systems. He worked for several years as a hydrogeologist in the environmental consulting industry before pursuing a career in information technology.

He and his wife, Sandi, grew up in the Denver area and lived there for a number of years, before having the great fortune of relocating to the Ouray area. Mike is active in the Ouray community as a member of the Ouray Trail Group, Ouray Lions Club, Western Colorado Congress – Ridgway/Ouray Community Council, and Ouray County EMS. Mike is also involved in numerous organizations focused on conservation, historical preservation and outdoor recreation, including the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, the Colorado Historical Society, Continental Divide Trail Alliance, and National Mountain Bike Patrol.

Mike’s interests include hiking, exploring historic trails, running, mountain biking, skiing, working on trails, and just about anything else that involves being outside in the San Juan Mountains.

GEORGE MOORE

George is a retired geologist living in Ouray, but during the winter he migrates to Texas where the rocks aren't covered with snow. He is a Certified Professional Geologist by the American Institute of Professional Geologists and the Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists. He is a member of the Geological Society of America, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, New Mexico Geological Society, and West Texas Geological Society. He is the author of Mines, Mountain Roads, and Rocks - Geologic Road Logs of the Ouray Area, published by the Ouray County Historical Society. He has organized and led field trips for teachers, several geologic societies and industry groups.

He first discovered Ouray in 1962 while preparing to do geologic mapping in the San Juan Mountains and returned at every opportunity until retirement allowed him to spend most of his time here.

He has assisted in the inventory and description of buildings in Ouray's Local Historic District, and has been active in the Red Mountain Task Force. He is currently cataloging the Ross Moore Library on the Society's computer.

Don currently serves as the Curator of the Museum. He received his B.S. degree in chemistry from Monmouth College in Monmouth, IL and his Ph.D. in chemistry from Indiana University. He recently retired from California State University, Los Angeles where he was Professor of Chemistry for 36 years. He and his wife Beth have been coming to Ouray on vacations for more than 20 years. They built their house five miles north of Ouray in 1999. Don has a passion for mining and railroad history and in his basement is a 30 x 40 foot model railroad based on the D&RGW and RGS Railroads. In his spare time he enjoys hiking and jeeping in search of yet another mine or railroad right-of-way. He is also the Editor of the Ouray County Historical Society Magazine.

Walt is a graduate of the University of Maine with a degree in Forestry. After serving two years with the U. S. Army, he began his 30 year career with the U. S. Forest Service. He was stationed in the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota and in 1963 moved to Fort Collins, Colorado where he was District Ranger on the Laramie River District of the Roosevelt National Forest. In 1968 Walt was assigned as Ouray District Ranger on the Uncompahgre National Forest. He and his wife Nancy together with their five children, therefore, moved to Montrose and also acquired a house on 4th Street in Ouray which was built in 1880. When Walt retired in 1986, he and Nancy settled in their Ouray Home.

Walt also serves on OTG (board member), ARM (board member) and is a past board member of FSEEE- Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics. Other interests include entomology, photography, genealogy, historic architecture and home restoration, antique and classic cars, and woodworking. He is lso involved in OCHS current interpretive inventory and signing of Ouray's Main Street. SW Colorado and Ouray history including old mining structures, RR history, floods, transitional changes and re-inventory of Ouray's Historic District with Kathleen Norman and others.

Walt was involved with the inception of the Ouray County Historical Society as well as the Board of the Montrose Historical Society and the first efforts to restore the Ouray City Hall to a semblance of its 1901 glory.

He is active in numerous community efforts, in addition to the OCHS Board, including the Ouray Trail Group, Senior Programs, Western Colorado Congress and ROCC, Red Mountain Task Force, Public Land Partnership and the Ouray Curmudgeon Society.

Bud graduated from the University of Denver -- Denver, Colorado with a Bachelor of Science Business Administration with a major in accounting. Since 1990, Bud has been the President of Zanett and Associates, P.C., CPA’s concentrating on tax planning for estates, trusts and business formations. Previously Bud was audit and tax senior for an international CPA firm, and from 1972 to 1984 acted as President and CEO of the second largest local CPA firm in Colorado. From 1985 to 1990 Bud served as business administrator, managing all assets of the Riverside Baptist Church in Denver, Colorado. Bud has taught courses and lectured in areas of tax exempt organizations, Christian financial planning and corporate and individual goal setting seminars. Other organizations that Bud has been a member of are the Ouray City Planning Commission for six years, Performing Arts Center Building Program for Ouray, Ouray Humane Society, and the City of Ouray Chamber of Commerce. Bud has held the following positions-- President of the Zanett Foundation, Managing Director of the Zanett Scholarship Fund, Elder of the First Presbyterian Church, and teacher of adult Sunday school.