Evansville museum director to retire at end of the year - 14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro

Evansville museum director to retire at end of the year

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By Brad Conaway - email
John Streetman will retire at the end of 2012 after 38 years at the Museum John Streetman will retire at the end of 2012 after 38 years at the Museum
To allow time for a national search, Mary McNamee Bower, who has served the institution in that position for 34 years will assume the position of interim director To allow time for a national search, Mary McNamee Bower, who has served the institution in that position for 34 years will assume the position of interim director
EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -

After nearly 38 years of service to the Evansville Museum, John Streetman will retire at the end of 2012.  He retires in accordance with the succession plan that he presented for board approval in May of 2009.  The board of trustees has unanimously named him director emeritus and will join other friends in honoring him with a tribute celebration at the beginning of next year.

To allow time for a national search, the Virginia G. Schroeder Curator of Collections Mary McNamee Bower, who has served the institution in that position for 34 years, will, according to board president Steve Krohn, assume the position of interim director in January. 

Regarding his retirement, Streetman says, "Now that we have assurance that our capital project will be completed, as announced last week, the trustees' search committee will have all of next year to secure a successor.  It is most encouraging to know that there are firmly in place the best-ever executive committee, board of trustees and staff to lead us into an exciting future.  I have appreciated beyond words the privilege of being the museum's director and approach my retirement with gratitude and great affection for this community."

After the final selection, the new director will become the first-ever to occupy the permanently endowed John W. Streetman III director's chair of the Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science, established in 1993 by the board of trustees, after a fund drive successfully chaired by honorary lifetime trustee Virginia G. Schroeder. 

According to board president Krohn, "During Streetman's tenure, the museum has seen unprecedented growth, becoming widely recognized as one of the most dynamic general museums in the United States. Since his arrival in Evansville in 1975, the museum has undergone two extensive interior renovations; has completed one major expansion; and has seen the construction of the Evansville Museum Transportation Center (EMTRAC).  Galleries have been established for both permanent collections and temporary exhibitions in each of the museum's disciplines of art, history and science. The late 2013 completion of the museum's new south wing, along with substantial improvements to the existing building is the last – and most significant – of those projects."

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