CUSTER, S.D. — The Crazy Horse Memorial has welcomed a new Chief Executive Officer to prepared the ground.
The Crazy Horse Memorial Board of Directors appointed Whitney Rencountre as its new CEO on Tuesday. He’ll assume the duties of CEO in September.
But his service for the memorial started a lot earlier.
As the face for the World’s Largest Mountain Carving in progress, Rencountre and his household have been closely concerned with the Crazy Horse Memorial Family since 2017.
“We’ve grown to understand not solely, you understand the mountain and the college in addition to the museum, however the group that’s out right here,” Rencountre stated. “The devoted team of workers which might be right here which might be actually devoted to the dream and the vision of the memorial.”
As for Rencountre’s vision for the memorial, it begins with ending the mountain.
He says that it’s a part of the objective of the memorial to make use of solely the funding they obtain from non-public donations and admission gross sales.
“That in itself is an efficient problem to have as a result of we actually respect that we’re capable of kind relationships, that we’re capable of educate, you understand, people all over the world about not solely the vision right here, however about Native American tradition and traditions, and one thing that basically isn’t taught in colleges,” Rencountre stated.
After that, the vision turns to educating the general public and utilizing the memorial, museum and teachings in issues like its Indian University of North America’s objective that may create a greater understanding of Crazy Horse’s story and far more.
The work on the mountain might be accomplished in phases, with work on Crazy Horse’s hand, elbow, shoulder and arm being accomplished in the subsequent 4 to 9 years.
But that work signifies a lot extra to Rencountre and the memorial’s board.
He says it creates a instructing in Native American tradition and a particular message to these keen to study.
“I consider the sky is the restrict for what will be completed right here,” Rencountre stated.