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Sitka Historical Society and Museum

Newsletter SUMMER 2013

Contents of this Newsletter … Bob Medinger Retires

… Board Appoints Interim Director

… Curator Hayley Chambers Hired

… Summer Intern

… Membership

… Board and Staff

Bob Medinger Retires

After 6 years as Executive Director of the Sitka Historical Society, Bob Medinger has retired from the position. He was hired by the Board of Directors at a time when the Board had been updating its 3 to 5 year list of goals which had been re-written from 2004 and before. Listed are a few of the major goals at that time:

Expand Community awareness by promoting historical projects and partnerships in the community.

Secure adequate funding to operate with fiscal stability.

Examine and update board committees and board involvement in each committee.

Pursue feasibility of a separate Museum building.

Locate heated, accessible, affordable storage.

Consider ways to better utilize existing display space; involve persons with marketing and display experience.

In hiring Medinger, the board found a person who could help carry the Society forward to preserve Sitka’s rich and exciting history.

The following was submitted by Medinger at retirement:

“June 30th was my last contract day as Executive

Director of the Sitka Historical Society & Museum. I

informed the board of my decision in February, and

Chris Todd is the new Interim Executive Director until

a permanent placement is determined. Chris resigned

from the board after serving for three years in order to

facilitate the transition.

I accepted the Executive Director position six years

ago as a half-time “retirement” job, with a museum

budget of $73,000, a total of two part time staff, a city

allocation of $36,000 and virtually no collection storage

space outside of the museum. This fiscal year ending

June 30th shows this year’s income at $250,000+, the

equivalent of 3 full time positions on staff including a

professional curator, a city allocation of $120,000, and

an additional 3000 sq. ft. of collection storage and

facility space including the Geodetic “White house”

and three rooms at the mill site administration

building.

It was my pleasure and passion to have partnered/

coordinated on several mission driven and board

approved projects over those six years:

Rasmuson Foundation; Applied for and received

Rasmuson Organizational Effectiveness Grant

Totem Square & Baranof Pole Renovation

St. Michaels Bell Tower renovation and the

traditional ringing of the bells again

2010 International Conference on Russian-America

with SNHP

Rasmuson / Foraker Pre-Development Project for

new Museum Planning

100-Year Anniversary ANB/ANS Panel Project

and Traveling Exhibit

2012 Alaska Historical Society/Museums Alaska

Conference in Sitka

Publication: Russian American Conference

Proceedings, “Beyond the Near Horizon”

$300,000 raised via grants, fund-raising & projects

over six years.

I’d like to thank past & present board members,

staff, volunteers and partners for the opportunity, and

their facilitation in moving the Historical Society and

Museum ahead with its mission. The future is bright

with new staff and board members moving forward in

the quest for a new and enlarged Museum for the

community, students, researchers and visitors to Sitka.

My plans include some family & project time,

cruising/fishing Baranof Island, and time at our

homestead hiking/fishing/hunting within Wrangell-St.

Elias Park/Preserve. I hope to keep a hand in Sitka’s

amazing history, and can be reached via email

bobmedinger@yahoo.com

Thanks, Bob Medinger

Bob enjoying his

retirement luncheon

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Board Appoints Interim Executive

Director

Chris Todd has

accepted the position

of Interim Executive

Director until a permanent replacement

is chosen. In order to

accept the appointment

to work for the Board,

Chris resigned her

board position of three

years in order to

facilitate the transition.

She spent some time

with Bob Medinger

before his retirement to familiarize herself with the

office. Chis brings much experience to this

appointment, having owned her own business,

volunteered for many non-profits, and other

required qualifications for the job. Her three years

on the Board gave her the knowledge of the

organization to seamlessly fit into the position.

So far in her short time at the helm, she has

been involved with working with the new

bookkeeping services recently acquired, updating

the software and working with the IT services,

keeping up with State Museum activities and many

other day to day activities. While the job

description requires her to supervise staff, she

respects the professionalism of staff members.

She and the Curator make a fine team to get the

work done. We welcome Chris as Interim

Executive Director and we are appreciative that

she was able to take time out of her busy life to

step into this position.

Curator Hayley Chambers Joins Staff

Sitka Historical Museum

The Sitka Historical Society is pleased to

announce the hiring of Hayley Chambers as our

new Curator of Collections and Exhibits. For

nearly ten years Hayley has worked in the museum

field as a curator, intern, and volunteer. Hayley

recently left her position as senior curator at

Deadwood History, Inc. in Deadwood, South

Dakota—the historic gold rush frontier town—for

this position.

After

graduating in

2008 with an

M.A. in Public

History from

the University

of North

Carolina in

Greensboro,

Hayley had an

Alaskan

internship at the

Valdez Museum. It was this small taste of Alaska

that created her desire to return. Hayley grew up in

Daytona Beach, Florida and attended Hollins

University in Roanoke, Virginia for undergraduate

degrees in Classical Studies and Creative Writing.

Her professional background also includes a stint

at the Kentucky Historical Society and museums in

England, North Carolina, Iowa, and South Dakota.

Hayley enjoys spending time outdoors and

watching documentaries. She is an avid traveler,

voracious reader, and enthusiastic postcard and

brochure collector. Her research interests include

immigration, mining, and historic preservation.

Hayley looks forward to getting to know the

vibrant town of Sitka and its residents so please

stop by the museum and introduce yourself.

Summer Intern Returning Intern, Brooke

Wheeler is hard at work,

assisting Hayley with

collections. Here she is helping

to move a few artifacts. We are

pleased to have her back this

summer.

The board is advertising for

applicants for the permanent position of

Executive Director.

A letter of invitation to apply, the job

description and application form are

available on the website:

www.sitkahistory.org or by e-mail at

director@sitkahistory.org or stop by the

Museum located in Centennial Hall, 330

Harbor Drive. Application process

closes August 30, 2013.

MEMBERSHIP FORM Sitka Historical Society and Museum

Please Circle your choice of Membership Level Senior over 62 $ 20 Under 25 $ 20 Individual $ 40 Family $ 50 Donor $100 Business * $ 175 *Business Membership includes link on our website Sustaining $1000 Benefactor $5000

*Circle Choice 1. New Membership 2. Renewal Enclose Check payable to Sitka Historical Society or Charge to Credit Card (specify card type below) Card Type ___________ Expiration Date ___________ Card# ______________________________________ Signature ____________________________________

*____________________________________________________ Name (s) *____________________________________________________ Other Family Members (Family Membership only)

*____________________________________________________ *Business Name (and contact person for business membership)

*____________________________________________________ Mailing Address *____________________________________________________ City State Zip

*____________________________________________________ Email Address (fastest way to get news of upcoming events)

*____________________________________________________

Phone

Mail to: Fax to: Sitka Historical Society 907-747-6588 330 Harbor Drive Online Membership Form: Sitka, AK 99835 www.sitkahistory.org 907-747-6455 Location: Harrigan Centennial Hall

The Sitka Historical Society and Museum appreciates your past membership and your support, whether

that be your attendance at one of our many programs or events, visiting the Museum or perhaps the donation

of items of historical significance to the Museum. This is the sort of support that allows us to continue to

bring Sitka’s rich history alive for all of us. We thank you very much for being a part of our success.

If you have not joined with us as a member or renewed your membership we ask that you fill out the form

above and your annual membership will begin the day we receive your payment. Membership dues pay for

telephone and internet access, office supplies, museum preservation and exhibit supplies, publication of the

newsletter and more, in other words, many of the fundamentals that make our Society work.

Along with knowing that you are helping to preserve the history of Sitka, here are some of the benefits for

you and your family to enjoy through membership.

Free Museum admission and 10% off of all Museum store purchases.

Timely notification of upcoming exciting events and activities, new exhibits and artifacts.

Early access to special historical publications and book signings.

Sitka Historical Society and Museum Newsletters.

Sneak previews for some of our many special events.

All memberships and donations are tax deductible. Please contact us if you have any questions.

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Our Mission

To preserve and promote the events, stories and artifacts of the human history of the Sitka area for the

inspiration, education and benefit of the public and future generations

Sitka Historical Society

And Museum 330 Harbor Drive Sitka, Alaska 99835

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID

SITKA, AK PERMIT NO. 17

Change Service Requested

Sitka Historical Society And Museum 330 Harbor Drive -Sitka, AK 99835

(Located in Harrigan Centennial Hall) E-mail: director@sitkahistory.org

Web: www.sitkahistory.org Voice (907)747-6455 Fax (907)747-6588

Newsletter Summer 2013 Page 4

Visitor

Services

Manager:

Beverly

Dexter

Board of

Directors

2013

Interim

Executive

Director:

Chris

Staff

Karen Christner Sabra Jenkins Chris Kowalczewski

Ron McClain Linda Trierschield

Secretary: Ernestine Massey Treasurer: Jerry Dzugen

Pres: John Stein VP: Pat Alexander

Curator:

Hayley

Chambers

Find us on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sitka-Historical-

Society Museum /167383696691834

Summer

Intern:

Brooke

Wheeler