Desoto Caverns is a proud member of the National Caves Association which is an influential membership for caverns who are passionate about and focused on Stewardship, Education, Entertainment, and Cooperation. The organization was established in 1965 and Desoto Caverns has been a member for over 40 years.
Al Mathis, our irreplaceable and humble genius of a CEO, has been President of the organization for the last few years. He has been instrumental in creating focus and strategy for the future of this incredible association. We are so grateful for his great work in steering the organization forward through the pandemic through supporting the network of caverns through regular updates, clear communication, sharing best practices, and assisting when caverns across the nation had specific questions or needs. He has strengthened the cave community and encouraged them in safety, stewardship, education, and entertainment advancements through his presidency. His magnanimous personality, hopeful optimism, and strategic leadership has helped countless caverns as we navigated towards better versions of each cave across the United States. Without Al Mathis, Desoto Caverns wouldn’t be open to the public and would not have the preservation and stewardship methods in place to make it an incredible historic site that people from around the world can appreciate and learn from while touring its breath-taking environment. DeSoto Caverns has made the world of geology and history come alive for over 100,000 students and has become both a local pride and a nationally recognized historic site. We as an organization and as an individual cavern are so grateful for Al Mathis’ work and legacy that has made a positive impact both locally and nationally for the caverns organization.
The photos below are of our capable, hard-working CEO, Al Mathis, through his 45+ years of hard work to create an unforgettable experience at Desoto Caverns.
