NEEDLE OF HOPE

A few generations ago, a young retailer named Marshall Field famously quipped a six-word business motto that would define his eponymous department store—“Give the lady what she wants.” Fast forward more than a century and one might say his namesake great-grandson (several times over) is repurposing that mantra, albeit for a more altruistic cause—a valiant mission led by one “lady” in particular. Marshall Field V, a retired businessman, publisher, and philanthropist, is doing the thing he values most at this stage of his life—donating his time and business acumen for the good of humanity. “When I ran a big company, it didn’t really move the needle as far as the world is concerned,” says Field, who recently joined the board of directors for Veterinary Initiative for Endangered Wildlife (VIEW). Continuing his family’s generational commitment to civic life, Field has served in multiple roles for national nonprofits with a special interest in conservation and the environment. Fortunately for the planet at large, about 10 years ago he was introduced to Dr. Deborah McCauley, a wildlife veterinarian who co-founded VIEW in 2012. The catalyst for the cause came when McCauley—who was working for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks—received a call from Yellowstone National Park. Bighorn sheep were mysteriously dying and she was summoned to find out why. What McCauley discovered was that healthy domestic sheep passed pneumonia on to the bighorn sheep, killing 90 percent of that herd. “The thing that’s unique about VIEW is that it’s saving wild animals from dying from diseases usually caught from a domestic animal,” says Field. “When she started, nobody did this. Now the whole world wants her.” After her success at Yellowstone, McCauley was called to Nepal to figure out what was killing its tigers. She found the source of the illness and then trained two local veterinarians to help prevent it. The government of India also requested her assistance to find out why hundreds of Indian elephants are dying. “India’s tigers are also getting a disease that most likely comes from the cattle herds or dogs of their villagers,” says Field, explaining that the VIEW CEO is also a married mother of two who will often fly the family close to where she is working. “She’s going to go and find out what the diseases are, and what they can do to inoculate or cure that disease.” While Field enjoys spending time with family, helping to raise funds to support McCauley’s important work is perhaps one of the most fulfilling jobs of his career. “When you lay down at night, the pay’s not very good but you’re very satisfied,” he adds. “She’s making a huge difference and anyone who wants to help, we’d be more than happy to take their money.” McCauley has been so busy, in fact, that she’s barely had time to build the organization. However, with a new development director on board and Field leading the charge, chances are this “lady” will ultimately get what she wants—to save endangered wildlife around the globe for generations to come.

To learn more about VIEW, visit viewildlife.org.