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Teeson, who has led the nation’s premier maritime museum for the past seven years, will continue in his current role until a successor is chosen. A nationwide search for the Museum’s next CEO will begin soon. Once a successor is in place, Teeson plans to continue serving the Museum in an emeritus role, focused on fundraising. “The timing is right,” Teeson said, “for the Museum, and for my family. A decision like this is easier to make when a solid foundation is in place for the future. I am very proud of what we have been able to accomplish at Mystic Seaport. I know the founders’ vision – that the Museum be educational in purpose, national (and sometimes beyond) in scope and an inspiring force for the future – will continue to motivate everyone here with the drive to build on what we’ve achieved. The last 12 months here, in particular, have been extraordinary.” “Finding a successor capable of building on Doug’s many achievements promises to be a difficult task,” said Richard Vietor, chairman of the Museum’s Board of Trustees. “His accomplishments have helped to fulfill and perpetuate the founders’ vision. Doug’s energy and passion have inspired us all. He and his team have clearly put Mystic Seaport into better shape than he found it.” Within the past year alone, Mystic Seaport has made significant progress in ensuring its position as the nation’s leading maritime museum. The new 500-ton Shiplift facility was completed and is in full operation. It has an expected life of 75 years and is ready for the upcoming restoration of the Charles W. Morgan, the Museum’s flagship vessel. Earlier this year, the new Carlton Marine Science Center was completed and opened. It supports the 30-year-old undergraduate Maritime Studies Program jointly operated by Williams College and Mystic Seaport. The Museum’s heralded G.W. Blunt White Library collections were relocated to a safer, more secure and accessible setting in the Collections Research Center , which also opened early in Teeson’s tenure. Supported by nearly $12 million in new lead gifts and pledges from the Museum’s Board of Trustees, plans have also progressed for transformative new exhibiting capabilities in the coming years. Mystic Seaport has also received more than $13 million worth of other new gifts and bequest fulfillments within the past two years, including a collection of valuable James E. Buttersworth paintings, many of which are now on display in a special exhibit. Attendance this past year has also been a positive – achieving the first year-over-year increase since 1996. Improved exhibiting, programs and marketing were contributing factors, along with favorable weather. The Museum has also seen significant growth in its membership sales and renewals, as well as its group sales. The Museum’s volunteer corps has nearly doubled during Teeson’s tenure, and volunteers are playing an increasingly vital part in the Museum’s success, last year providing more than 55,000 hours of service. Teeson also made particular note of how much he and visitors have benefited from the efforts of the Museum’s staff. “Through their ordinary and extraordinary activities, including new and exciting exhibits, the knowledge and creativity of the staff has been paramount,” he said. “Their skills, and more importantly their dedication, have been a constant source of inspiration for me. I will look back with great pride on their many achievements.” Prior to being selected to succeed longtime Museum President J. Revell Carr in 2001, Teeson, served as superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy in nearby New London , CT , from 1997 to 2001. A retired Rear Admiral, his Coast Guard career began in 1961 as a Cadet at the Coast Guard Academy. Teeson still recalls his first visit to Mystic Seaport – at age 8 – as well as the one he made with his new classmates during the grueling “swab” summer that is the Academy’s equivalent of boot camp. “I’ve always thought Mystic Seaport is a magic place,” he said. “Our resolve going forward is to keep all the magic and make the Museum more relevant to its 21st century audiences and more accessible regardless of the season or weather.” Teeson is a former Connecticut Culture and Tourism Commissioner and currently serves as a trustee of The Day paper in New London . He and his wife Phyllis reside in New London and are active in a variety of community affairs. They plan to eventually divide their time between southeastern Connecticut and Yorktown , VA. Mystic Seaport – The Museum of America and the Sea – is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum, which is located along in the historic Mystic River in Mystic, CT, is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. For more information, visit www.mysticseaport.org. © Copyright by NorwalkPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of NorwalkPlus.com, Norwalk Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: Merritt 7 Corporate Park honored with Southwest Connecticut Summer Energy Savers Award - May 7, 2008 - 8:25:07 AM Attorney General calls Richard Straub case “poster child” for enacment of pension revocation - Apr 14, 2008 - 11:08:59 PM Hilb Rogal & Hobbs to relocate from Stamford to Meritt 7 Corporate Park in Norwalk - Apr 2, 2008 - 1:47:06 PM Lucie H. Voves joins Union Savings Bank Board of Trustees - Feb 28, 2008 - 9:40:09 AM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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