Celebrating our Exemplary Employee: Brian Herlihy!
Last month, the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association hosted the 65th Annual North Lake Tahoe Community Awards in Tahoe City, CA. We are honored to announce our own Brian Herlihy won "Employee of the Year!"
Get to know our amazing Business Manager with this brief interview
What has your career journey looked like?
I got into non-profit work when I first moved to Sacramento in the early to mid-2000s. I was looking to put my college marketing degree to work and got a job at the Towe Auto Museum (now known as the California Auto Museum) in Sacramento as their Marketing Coordinator. Little did I know that this would be the first step into my long career in non-profits. Soon after, I moved up to the Tahoe area and worked for some incredible organizations: Lake Tahoe Music Festival, Professional Ski Instructor Association: Western Division, Tahoe Family Solutions, Project Mana, and finally Sierra State Parks Foundation. Presently, I have over 10 years’ experience in nonprofits with Sierra State Parks Foundation being the 6th nonprofit I have worked for!
What do you love most about working for SSPF?
What I love about nonprofits, in general, is the feeling of providing for my community. Working with the Sierra State Parks Foundation, I get to be a part of that legacy of restoring and preserving our historical and natural resources around the Lake Tahoe-Donner Region. As a kid growing up in the Bay Area, my family and I would come up to Lake Tahoe. I have fond memories of hiking down to Vikingsholm Castle in Emerald Bay State Park and having a day at the beach in Emerald Bay. Now I get to help preserve this experience for future generations.
Your title is Business Manager. Can you explain what you manage?
I am responsible for the Financial Management, Nonprofit Status Management, and the Cooperating Partnership Management of Sierra State Parks Foundation. I ensure the foundation receives, processes, and spends donation, and event and other incomes in a fiscally responsible manner keeping with our mission of education, interpretation, restoration, and preservation of our Lake Tahoe-Donner California State Parks. I am also responsible for all of the state and federal filings, nonprofit status updates, sales tax filings, permitting and all other legal requirements of our nonprofit. Finally, I make sure we stay within our management agreement with California State Parks and file a financial Cooperating Agreement report with them annually.H
Brian was a participant of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association's Leadership Program in 2017. What did you get out of the Leadership Program?
I believe the Leadership Program is a must for any professional. I met and networked with people from many different industries all over the Lake Tahoe area. The program sharpened my team building skills and improved my public speaking skill. Out of the 7 people awarded employee of the year for their company at the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association's 65th award ceremony, 5 were Leadership Program graduates, 2 were from my class, and 1 was one of my Leadership Program project partners.
Where is your favorite place to camp?
Yosemite! I try to get two to three camping trips in a year. It’s not always easy with how busy we are here in Lake Tahoe in the summer. This typically means that a camping weekend is usually closer to home. Camping Big Sur and Yellowstone are on my bucket list too. I have had the pleasure though, of camping in Yosemite many times throughout my lifetime. Every single time it’s breathtaking... Nothing shows you how small you really are like the huge granite walls surrounding Yosemite Valley.
A word from Brian's Nominator:
Brian is an invaluable member of the foundation's team. Because of his attention to detail and great working relationships with our donors and partners, the foundation's accounting practices are par none!
