Driven to Build: The Story Behind the Catskill Mountain Foundation
Key Takeaways
- Peter and Sarah Finn transformed frustration over dilapidated buildings on Main Street into action by founding the Catskill Mountain Foundation in 1998.
- The Catskill Mountain Foundation has grown over nearly 30 years to encompass a three-screen cinema, piano performance museum, ballet and theater programs, artist housing, an organic farm, and a regional magazine.
- Peter Finn's new book, Driven to Build, Guided by Values, explores the leadership principles behind both the Catskill Mountain Foundation and his global PR firm, FINN Partners.
- The Finn family's deep roots in Hunter trace back to Peter's great-grandparents arriving from the Poland-Ukraine borderlands in 1889, a history also featured in Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers.
- Current capital projects for the foundation include new theatrical equipment, a net-zero rehearsal and dance studio at the Orpheum funded by a state matching grant, and new Creekside Retreat artist housing.
"Close your eyes when you roll through town and open them when you get to the driveway," is essentially how Peter and Sarah Finn jokingly welcomed friends to their Hunter home in the mid-1990s — when dilapidated buildings and FOR SALE signs dominated Main Street.
The Finns turned frustration into action, buying a rotting dairy barn and a struggling movie theater, and building what would become the Catskill Mountain Foundation in 1998. Nearly 30 years later, CMF runs a three-screen cinema, a piano performance museum, ballet and theater programs, artist housing, an organic farm, and a monthly regional magazine, and employs about 30 people.
Peter's new book, Driven to Build, Guided by Values: Leading for Long-Term Success in the For-Profit and Nonprofit Worlds, traces the principles behind both CMF and FINN Partners, the global PR firm he founded.
Peter and Sarah join host Brett Barry at their home in Hunter, along with CMF Executive Director Amy Scheibe, to talk through the foundation's origins and where it's headed. Topics include:
- The Finn family's roots in Hunter, going back to Peter's great-grandparents, who arrived from the Poland-Ukraine borderlands in 1889 (a story also told in Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers)
- Buying and renovating the Red Barn and the old Hunter movie theater, and how conversations with Sean Byrne (Hunter Foundation), Barry Kerr, Linda Nichols, and Pam and Judd Weisberg shaped CMF's formation
- The distinction between CMF (arts) and its neighbor, The Hunter Foundation (Main Street revitalization)
- Funding the foundation's early years and building donor relationships, including Hunter Mountain's Slutsky family
- How Peter's PR-agency background shaped CMF's multi-pronged structure
- Current capital projects: new theatrical equipment and a rehearsal/dance studio at the Orpheum (funded by a $1.75M state matching grant), a NYSERDA net-zero grant for the studio building, and new artist housing (Creekside Retreat)
- What's next for CMF
Links:
- Peter Finn's book: Driven to Build, Guided by Values
- The Catskill Mountain Foundation: catskillmtn.org
- Kaatscast: kaatscast.com — full episode archive, transcribed and searchable
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Catskill Mountain Foundation?
Founded in 1998 by Peter and Sarah Finn, the Catskill Mountain Foundation is a multi-faceted organization in Hunter, New York, that runs arts, education, housing, and agricultural programs, including a three-screen cinema, piano performance museum, and ballet programs.
Who is Peter Finn?
Peter Finn is the founder of the global PR firm FINN Partners and co-founder of the Catskill Mountain Foundation, as well as the author of the book Driven to Build, Guided by Values: Leading for Long-Term Success in the For-Profit and Nonprofit Worlds.
What is Peter Finn's book about?
Peter Finn's book, Driven to Build, Guided by Values, traces the leadership principles and values behind the long-term success of both the Catskill Mountain Foundation and his for-profit PR agency, FINN Partners.
