Our story is as powerful as our passion for the community and the Arts. Music lovers and Wyoming transplants, the Gottfried family purchased the 5 acre property at 52 Bald Mountain Road in 2006. After many years of “piddling,” the call came to build something that could bring the community together around a shared appreciation for music and artistic expression. What once was one of Walt Disney’s calving barns has been transformed from an industrial garage to a state of the art music venue and creative space where folks can come to play, write, design, paint, or simply relax and draw inspiration from the natural setting along the banks of the Wind River. We believe the same Disney magic born here almost a century ago still fills this space with wonder and beauty. We’d love for you to be a part of the magic!
Mr. Gottfried has more than 45 years of experience in environmental services and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He has been instrumental in implementing digital mapping and GIS systems for public and private clients, in addition to setting up the first GIS mapping systems for many large engineering firms in the State of Florida. Mr. Gottfried’s passion for music and the arts has lead him to build a beautiful venue in the mountains of northwest Wyoming near the Town of Dubois.
Not a musician, Mr. Gottfried goal is to attract a wide variety of talent to use “The Barn at Wind River” for a place of relaxation, inspiration, and development. He recently employed over 60 scientists and technical specialists assigned to scientific investigations with the U.S. Geological Survey. He has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Science from the University of Central Florida and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Delaware.
Chris is an Instructor of Finance at William & Mary’s Mason School of Business, with expertise in corporate finance, credit, consumer compliance, and banking law. He has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry as a banker, attorney, and consultant. In addition to his role at W&M, Chris is an attorney at Factor Law, where he supports his global clients’ complex transactional legal work. He previously held various managerial roles within Industry and Big 4, where his work focused on the intersection of regulatory compliance and operational risk management. Past clients include Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, BNP Paribas, Raymond James, and Bank of America. Chris obtained a JD and an MBA in Corporate Finance from William & Mary and a BA in Economics and International Studies from Wake Forest.
Chris maintains various business interests outside of Finance. He sits on the Board of Natural Systems Analysts, an environmental consulting firm, and Universal Smiles, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2019 to improve oral health in Uganda. He passionately supports environmental advocacy, legal pro bono initiatives, and minority outreach through The Turtle Conservancy and the North Carolina Bar Association.
