College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources // Monticello Through the Lens

Richard Spener and Toni Armstrong spent two years traveling to and photographing Missouri’s eight wilderness areas. Located throughout southern Missouri these wilderness areas were created in the 1980s as part of the Wilderness Act of 1964.

Richard Spener and Toni Armstrong speak at the recent Monticello Society Brunch.

Their photo exhibit “50 Years of Wilderness: Through the Lens of Missouri’s 8 Wilderness Areas” was featured at MU, The Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City, U.S. Forest Service and the Discovery Center in Springfield.

“It’s been so rewarding to get out and see these places at all times of the year, in all kinds of weather. I just want people to know how much of a gift it is to have these lands and how important it is we foster these for future generations,” said Spener.

As Monticello Society members, Richard and Toni were invited to share their wilderness experiences at the 15^th annual Monticello Society Brunch, held April 11, 2015.

Spener graduated from MU with a B.S. in business and hotel and restaurant management in 1961. After graduating, Spener created his own business, Fast Food Equipment Inc., and has been a long-time supporter of CAFNR’s hospitality management program, which was just forming when Spener was enrolled at MU. A member and past president of the Hospitality Management Advisory Board, Spener is dedicated to “seeing Hospitality Management rise to one of the top tier Hospitality Management schools in the U.S.”

Toni grew up in California and moved to St. Louis 38 years ago to join Monsanto as a research scientist. In 1999 Toni received Monsanto’s highest honor in science, a Queeny Award, for her work with Bollgard cotton. Toni is an avid gardener and outdoors adventurer.