Equal parts adventurer and seasoned nonprofit leader, Gary Wilmot brings direct experience and a true affinity for rural communities to his role as executive director at LOR. Based in Lander, Wyoming—one of the seven small towns LOR currently works with—Gary aims to accelerate promising solutions from the region and ensure the rural voices from the Mountain West influence a national dialogue. Founded by Amy Wyss and Ed Jaramillo, LOR occupies a unique place in the philanthropic space, both because of its focus on improving quality of life in rural places and because of its belief that local people can—and should—be the engines behind solutions in their towns. Amy and Ed started LOR with the belief that it’s the people who have the answers—not the foundations. They believe strongly that philanthropy should be accessible to everyday people and that LOR’s role in the communities where it works is simply to provide the support people need to bring their ideas to life. Gary was drawn to this listen-first approach and LOR’s commitment to authentic, community-driven work. Recreation attracted Gary to the small-town West, but the sense of community is what kept him in the region.