Mike Carr collection

A Saint Paul native, Mike Carr (class of 1973) developed a passion for tabletop gaming as a teenager in the 1960s while spending time with a circle of friends including Dave Arneson, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons. After graduating with a degree in History and a teaching certificate, Carr found job opportunities sparse. But in 1976, while managing a Ground Round restaurant, he was approached by Gary Gygax to come work at the then fledgling TSR (the publisher of D&D) in Lake Geneva, where he stayed until 1983 in a variety of design and management positions.

In the years since, Carr has been a commodities trader (one of the 14 original “Turtles”), a freelance snowmobile writer, and a marketing communications manager. He has also endowed four scholarships at Macalester including ones honoring his mentor, Richard Dennis, and history professor Boyd C. Shafer. Currently he is co-curating a permanent exhibit at the Geneva Lake Museum entitled, “The Wizard of Lake Geneva” honoring Gygax as well as preparing a Kickstarter campaign for a rhyming children’s book entitled, “Girls & Boys Love Great Big Toys”, featuring sailboats, cars, hot air balloons, ATVs, and more.