Preservationist Richard Moe to retire

The Minnesota native and former Mondale aide led the National Trust for Historic Preservation for 17 years.

By MARY ABBE, Star Tribune

Last update: November 3, 2009 - 5:21 PM

Minnesota native Richard Moe announced Tuesday that he will retire next spring as president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Moe has run the influential Washington, D.C., organization for 17 years, the longest tenure in the trust's 60-year history.

Under his leadership, the trust successfully led the fight to prevent the Disney Corp. from building a theme park on historic grounds in northern Virginia, helped restore President Lincoln's cottage in Washington, aided the purchase and restoration of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's iconic modernist Farnsworth House in Plano, Ill., supported New Orleans preservation efforts following Hurricane Katrina, and greatly expanded state and local preservation organizations.

He also reorganized funding for the national trust more than a decade ago, shifting it from primarily federal support to private sources, even as its budget nearly doubled to $55 million.

Earlier in his career Moe, 72, was chief of staff to Vice President Walter Mondale and a member of President Carter's senior staff from 1977 to 1981.

From its Washington headquarters the trust oversees nine regional and field offices and manages 29 historic sites in partnership with organizations in 50 states and territories. Moe also pushed the organization to expand its mission to include "recycling" older buildings for community use, environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.

Mary Abbe • 612-673-4431

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