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
Drew Barringer — Chairman and C.E.O.
Drew Barringer, a grandson of Daniel Moreau Barringer, first attended Barringer Crater Company meetings as a teenager in the early 1960’s. Drew’s service with the company began as a shareholder and board member in 1981. In the ensuing years he became more actively involved with the company and was elected its President and CEO in 1992 and Chairman and CEO in 2017. In his role as CEO, he is responsible for overseeing all managerial and administrative areas of the company. Drew also represents the company as a board or committee member with a number of organizations that have scientific interests in impact craters, and helps the company in maintaining relationships with individual scientists, universities and research institutions around the world. In addition to serving the family company, his professional career has involved both operational and leadership positions with a number of large philanthropic organizations over a 25 year period.
Jennie Wadsworth — President
Jennie Wadsworth, great-granddaughter of Daniel Moreau Barringer, is a life-long teacher and faculty trainer. She earned a B.A. in English from Dartmouth College and an M.A. in Education from Pepperdine University and has spent over twenty years teaching 7th graders through college students the beauty and power of writing. She currently trains teachers on strategies to keep academic standards high while bringing joy and good will into the classroom.
As the president of the Barringer Crater Company, Jennie is committed to keeping the company financially strong in order to preserve The Barringer Meteorite Crater for future generations. She brings her passion for teaching and learning to the field of impact crater science where she is currently focused on spreading the fascination with earth and space sciences to the younger generation.
Jenny Barringer Burke — Vice President & Secretary
Jenny Barringer Burke, a 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 Vice President and Secretary, Jenny enjoys supporting company and family partnerships in the Flagstaff community with Lowell Observatory and the wonderful staff of Meteor Crater Enterprises.
Alexandra Hart — Vice President of Communications
With both a BS from Skidmore College and an MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology in Art and Metalsmithing, and design experience in both fashion and fine jewelry, she has run her own jewelry company for 25 years. Her work is about celebrating beauty found in natural forms, made of natural materials, championing a sustainable natural world.
In every way she tries to reduce the negative impact of her own life has on the environment, while working in leadership to more actively help improve the world. From personally reducing consumption of resources, to board president of Ethical Metalsmiths and board secretary of Compassion for African Villages, as well as being a Rotarian and mentor of teen girls, she actively participates in the greater good. Working to preserve The Barringer Meteorite Crater is a privilege and well aligned with her life mission.
Alexandra, also a great-granddaughter of Daniel Moreau Barringer, is now serving as the Vice President of Communication for the Barringer Crater Company where she oversees all online activity.
Oliver Roberts — Board Member
I am Betty Barringers grandson and I've been on the board for over 30 years. I'm a musician and IT Professional. I am married to Dena Roberts and have a daughter named Hope, who will soon be active on the board. The Crater has always been a wonderful part of my life and has been the glue to keep our families together.
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.
Scientific Advisors
Dr. David Kring
Dr. David A. Kring earned his Ph.D. in earth and space sciences from Harvard University. He specializes in impact cratering processes produced when asteroids and comets collide with planetary surfaces. He is perhaps best known for his work with the discovery of the Chicxulub impact crater, which he linked to the K-T boundary mass extinction of dinosaurs and over half of the plants and animals that existed on Earth 65 million years ago. He is an expert on the geology of The Barringer Meteorite Crater and has trained astronauts how to work with planetary surfaces (e.g., the Moon, Mars, and asteroids) at the Crater.
In 2017, Dr. Kring received "Best Guidebook Award" for his Guidebook to the Geology of Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona (a.k.a. Meteor Crater) 2nd edition, from the Geoscience Information Society.
To learn more, go to the Lunar and Planetary Institute site by clicking the button below:
Dr. Christian Koeberl
Dr. Christian Koeberl is the director general of the Natural History Museum Vienna, Austria, and full professor of geosciences (planetary geology) at the University of Vienna, where he is the deputy head of the Department of Lithospheric Research. He is a full member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, where he also heads the Committee on Geosciences. Dr. Koeberl studied chemistry, physics, and astronomy at the Technical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna, and obtained his Ph.D. in 1983 at the University of Graz. His main research interests are meteorite impact craters, meteorites, and geo- and cosmochemistry, as well as the early Earth and planetary geology.
His publication record includes over 400 peer-reviewed scientific papers; asteroid 15963 is named in his honor “Koeberl.”
