Over the course of our four decades of conservation successes, we’ve had seven community leaders who have served to move Ozark Land Trust forward.
We continue our 40th Anniversary celebration of the leaders whose visionary work has helped fueled OLT’s success. This month, we visit with Jacob “Jake” Reby, one of OLT’s presidents in the 2010s.
Jacob Reby (Board President 2012-2013) works as a senior counsel with Lewis Rice, concentrating his practice in structuring, negotiating, drafting and closing a wide variety of real estate, corporate and financing transactions.
Join us in reflecting on the past 40 years of Ozark Land Trust as we sit down with former board president Jacob Reby as he answers candidly about his experience with OLT.
5 Questions with Jacob Reby
How did you come to love nature and conservation?
I generally loved it, but I didn’t do that much. My idea of nature was playing 18 holes of golf. But when I was a kid, of course, I went to summer camp, did hikes and slept outdoors. When I was in the army, unfortunately, I had to sleep outdoors in a foxhole occasionally, but I always really enjoyed nature. I didn’t do it in the same way that a land trust would do.
I would enjoy it for a day, as opposed to really caring about it in the same way that the other seven conservationists who are on our board truly, genuinely cared. I was just ignorant and didn’t know better. But once I did figure out the mission was a great thing, then I became much more knowledgeable and cared more, and then I tried to bring more organization to OLT. That was my contribution—structure and organization.
How do you think OLT is unique among other organizations?
I would say that when I left, I think OLT was a very well-managed organization. And as good as we were then, I think it’s better managed now. From what I can tell, I think it’s a very well-run organization. I think Larry Levin has done a fabulous job as executive director. It’s hard work, and you have to stay on top of it. And I’m thrilled that he’s done such a good job. He and everybody. It’s not a one-man show; it’s multiple people doing things. I think it’s a very well-run organization, and I hope it continues to be so.
What did you personally get out of your experience with OLT?
I’m a curious guy, so it was very interesting to learn all about conservation easements. Ted Heisel, then executive director of OLT, would do these major write-ups. I had never seen a write-up before. I didn’t know such a thing existed, but I learned. I learned an awful lot about that.
And because of my law practice — I’m a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and a fellow at the American College of Mortgage Attorneys — I attend all these national meetings. Very few lawyers are on land trust boards, you know. When the client comes to me and says, I want to do a conservation easement because I know so much about what it takes to accept a conservation easement, I could tell my clients, or other people’s clients, and explain to them what is involved. This is in perpetuity, so we’re asking for [a management plan]. It has to work for everybody, or it doesn’t work for anybody.
During this 40th year, is there anyone you’d like to give a shout-out to, who made a difference for OLT?
There were people like Andy Thomas who were just amazing. Ted Heisel was amazing. I mean, there were just so many people. Abigail Lambert is amazing. I mean, all the board members and the past presidents. It was a lot of work for a lot of people. And I don’t think there was a person who didn’t do an unbelievable job of being a dedicated board member when I was involved.
Abigail Lambert, Andy Thomas, Ted Heisel
Many of them are still on the board, which is a great tribute to the organization and how much people truly care about it.
Do you have anything else to say about your time with OLT?
There was nobody on that board that didn’t love it. Which is really nice, which is a good thing. Not all boards can say that; sometimes, it’s more a job than a passion. This is a passion, and when I was there, it just needed a little organization to go along with the passion.