WRIGHT MUSEUM OF WORLD WAR II
Peggy Hennelly-Maniates appointed Executive Director
Hennelly-Maniates is currently serving as the Executive Director of the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan. She brings to the Wright an impressive background of leadership and strategic planning from her years as both a director and curator at her current museum. While at "the Silversides," she integrated the museum's educational offerings with area school science, technology, engineering, and math programs, boosting attendance with hands-on projects that explored submersible, remotely operated vehicles, periscopes and other aspects of submarine technology. In 2019, she received the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce's "Excellence in Tourism" award for her cultural leadership in marketing and attracting new audiences to the museum and to Muskegon. Mike Cooper, chair of the Search Committee, expressed the unanimous enthusiasm of the Search Committee saying, "Peggy impressed all of us with the multi-faceted leadership experience she brings. She is a true visionary as well as a skilled financial and operations manager who will work with our Board to set the Wright’s goals and priorities for the future. She is just the leader we need to help launch the Wright Museum into its next successful chapter."
"I am honored to join the Wright Museum of World War II, to be part of its hard-working staff, and to have the opportunity to work with the Board and the museum's talented group of volunteers," said Hennelly-Maniates. "This museum already does wonderful work, and I see potential to reach more students and larger audiences through new exhibitions and expanded access to the museum's tremendous collections, especially through online programs."
Hennelly-Maniates has a B.A. in History and Secondary Education from DePaul University in Chicago and has completed graduate coursework towards an M.A. in Liberal Studies from SUNY Plattsburgh, NY. In addition to her time at the USS Silversides Museum, she held positions in New York as an adjunct History and Business Law Instructor at North Country Community College, and as an Economic Developer for the Adirondack Economic Development Corporation.
Hennelly-Maniates follows Michael Culver, who left the museum last winter after 8 years as Executive Director. The Search Committee was chaired by Mike Cooper and included board members Anne Blodget (current board president), Mary Collins, Steve Farley, and board treasurer Andy Mako.