Director Dr. Scott T. Swank Will Retire in September
Published on Friday, February 19, 2010
Sandwich, Cape Cod, MA (February 19, 2010) - The Board of Trustees of Heritage Museums & Gardens reluctantly announces the retirement of Executive Director Dr. Scott T. Swank effective in September of 2010. Dr. Swank has directed the museum for over four years through the successful re-accreditation of the museum by the American Association of Museums and the first Foundation for the Future capital campaign.
Dr. Swank arrived at Heritage Museums & Gardens in September, 2005, with major goals of re-accreditation of the museum, and working with the Board and staff to tackle a crippling annual deficit situation. Operating with the Board and staff, he achieved the former early in 2007, and made significant progress on the deficit, achieving positive balances in 2007 and 2009. During this same period immediate planning was begun on a strategy for the next three to five years of the museum. What emerged was the Foundation for the Future, the museum’s capitol campaign. Heritage Museums & Gardens is still engaged in this ambitious campaign and Dr. Swank will continue to work diligently on the Foundation for the Future projects and fund-raising right up to his departure in the fall. He is eagerly looking forward to completion of the J. K. Lilly III Automobile Museum renovations and expansion, the Flume Fountain, and Hidden Hollow this summer.
After completing his doctoral work in History at the University of Pennsylvania in 1970, Dr. Swank began teaching with no idea that only a few years later he would enter the museum field at the Winterthur Museum & Country Estate in Wilmington, Delaware. From there, in 1990, he became the director, and later President, of Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury, New Hampshire, arriving in April at the height of the Mud Season! After 15 challenging years at Canterbury leading three capital campaigns, restoring 21 of 25 Shaker buildings, and building four new buildings, Dr. Swank assumed the Executive Director position at Heritage Museums & Gardens.
“I have been privileged to spend my career in the inspiring landscapes of Winterthur, Canterbury and Heritage. I have also been gifted with exceptional colleagues in this wonderful exercise of public service. What a joy to engage daily in the enterprise of learning, discovery and exploration of the riches of American art, history and horticulture,” said Dr. Swank.
The Board of Trustees will begin an immediate search for a new executive director. Dr. Swank looks forward to assisting in a smooth transition to new leadership, and to completing the foundation work for Heritage Museums & Garden’s great future.