Conference Center Staff

Philip Blumenthal

Philip Blumenthal, director of Wildacres conference center, grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and spent a great deal of time as a child and young adult at Wildacres Retreat. Philip graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1972 and became Director of Wildacres in 1974. Philip is also Director of the Blumenthal Foundation and divides his time between Charlotte and Wildacres Retreat. Philip and his wife, Amy, have two children, Andrew and Ethan. Amy led the Flute Master Class for many years and participates in the programs of Ringling School of Design. Andrew and Ethan both love the time they spend at Wildacres and pitch in to help maintain the facilities.

Mike House

Mike House, resident manager of the conference center, has worked at Wildacres for 19 seasons. He was born in Charlotte, graduated from North Carolina State University in 1972, and spent 12 years in Fort Mill, South Carolina working for Leroy Springs and Company as a recreation programmer. He moved to the mountains in 1984 to develop Springmaid Mountain in Spruce Pine. He, his wife, Kathryn, and their two children, Sarah and Lucas, lived on the South Toe River in Yancey County for many years before moving to Wildacres Retreat. Sarah learned pottery in the Wildacres studio and is now a production potter living near Celo, North Carolina. Lucas became interested in blacksmithing at Wildacres and continued in that field after graduating from the School of Design at North Carolina State. Kathryn works the office at the conference center and has a pottery shop at her home on the property. Mike's duties at Wildacres Retreat include administration, personnel management, group services, maintenance helper, and gardener.