Founded by D. Moreau Barringer in 1903
D. Moreau Barringer, founder of the Barringer Crater Company.
The Barringer Crater Company is a family-owned enterprise dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Barringer Meteorite Crater, located near Flagstaff, Arizona.
D. Moreau Barringer founded what is now the Barringer Crater Company in 1903. Barringer’s descendants, now in the sixth generation, continue to promote his pioneering research of the Crater that led to The Barringer Meteorite Crater becoming the first scientifically proven meteorite impact crater on Earth.
The fundamental purpose of the company is the preservation of the Crater. Recognizing that the Crater is a unique natural landmark of great scientific importance, strong public interest, and significant educational value, it is the company’s long-held policy to maintain the property in as nearly a natural state as possible and to ensure appropriate and controlled access to it by the general public. The company also is committed to making the Crater available to the scientific community for ongoing research and field study.
In addition to maintaining the Crater itself, the Barringer Crater Company has a strong interest in encouraging and supporting scientific exploration and research within the field of meteoritics, particularly in the area of impact phenomena. Each year the company provides modest research grants to scientists around the world to assist them in conducting essential field work and sponsors a limited number of doctoral students in attending international scientific meetings and seminars. In 1982, the company established an endowed award program known as the Barringer Medal to recognize outstanding scientific achievement in the field of impact cratering.
The Barringer Crater Company has an ongoing interest in promoting scientific education about the Crater and its story. The company believes that through its stewardship of the Crater, both the general public and the scientific community will benefit from the educational and scientific value of this unique and fascinating natural phenomenon.
Today’s Team
Jennie Wadsworth — C.E.O
Jennie Wadsworth, great-granddaughter of Daniel Moreau Barringer, is a life-long educator. She earned a B.A. in English from Dartmouth College and an M.A. in Education from Pepperdine University and has spent thirty years teaching English to 7th graders through college students.
As the C.E.O. of the Barringer Crater Company, Jennie is focused on growing the field of impact cratering research to enable the science community to better support space-related initiatives, including NASA’s Artemis Program.
Following in Drew Barringer’s footsteps, Jennie nurtures the Barringer Crater Company’s partnerships with The Meteoritical Society, other institutions, and scientists in the fields of impact cratering and meteoritics.
In addition, she is developing collaborations with science organizations to inspire the next generation of earth and space scientists.
Jenny Barringer Burke — President
Jenny Barringer, great-granddaughter of Daniel Moreau Barringer, has been actively involved with the company since attending her first shareholders meeting as a young child. Jenny currently serves as the company Vice President and Secretary and has served on the Board of Directors since 2007. A graduate of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, Jenny has been a fundraising professional in the healthcare and arts industries for the last 15 years. She has attended Meteoritical Society meetings in various cities in the US and Europe and enjoys meeting and learning from the younger generation of scientists in the field of impact cratering.
In addition to her work as President, Jenny enjoys supporting company and family partnerships in the Flagstaff community with Lowell Observatory and the wonderful staff of Meteor Crater Enterprises.
Liz Barringer-Smith — Vice President & Secretary
Liz Barringer-Smith has been a higher education administrative professional for almost 30 years and is excited to bring her skills to The Barringer Crater Company. Liz has worked at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, serving as the Academic Administrative Assistant to 11 language and area studies departments as well as serving on many campus committees and working groups. Previous work experience at The Ohio State University, both in the medical center and for the Extension State Office for Community Development have provided her with a great skill set in both large and small organization work. Liz is passionate advocate for support staff on Denison’s campus, serving on both the Engagement and Communication committee and as the appointed staff representative on Denison Forward, Denison’s diversity, equity and inclusion team.
Greg Schicker-Taubman — Vice President of Communications
Believing that imagination is the wellspring of empathy, Greg is forever investigating the creative process and its power to engender and deliver a communal sense of meaning.
A great-grandson of Daniel Moreau Barringer, Greg is proud to put his wordsmithing, knack for narrative, and copious community-building skills to use raising awareness around and inviting inspiration from Barringer Crater. He holds a BA in Classics from Princeton and an MFA in Directing from Columbia.
Outside of the family business, Greg serves as Parter + Co-Founder at FORGE, a boutique consultancy and artist service organization that help artists and makers craft sustainable careers and plan for success. His own creative projects include Bard’s Arcana: The Tarot of Shakespeare, In Loving Memory of the Dead (a folk-blues rendering of Homer’s Iliad), and the Arcsong story cycle.
C. Francis Barringer — Board Member
As DMB’s grand daughter, I represent my father Phil Barringer’s branch. He was the eighth child and youngest descendant of DMB. I’ve attended decades of BCC meetings , rotating on and off the board as well as serving on multiple committees, currently the BFF (Barringer Family Fund).
After college (BA in Art from Bennington 1973), I worked for 12 years in restaurants and catering as an owner and employee. Then I worked in EMS (Emergency Medical Services) for 36 years. Starting as an EMT., I advanced to paramedic in volunteer, private ambulance services and hospital based intercept ones in Conneticut. In retirement I volunteer for the President’s College, a life long learning program at the University of Hartford. I read widely, enjoy conversations and writing. And archiving materials from my interesting careers and both my parent’s remarkable lives and family history, especially in relation to BCC.
