Patrick Weeks Named President, CEO of U.S. Marshals Museum
by June 14, 2016 1:24 pm 701 views
The U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith today announced the hiring of Patrick Weeks as president and CEO.
Weeks will replace Jim Dunn, who will now focus solely on fundraising for the project, according to a news release.
Weeks was offered the job following a national search for a recognized museum professional who could lead the project through design, construction and opening.
Dunn, who has been president and CEO since 2009, will work with Weeks for 90 days starting July 1 to help with the transition.
“We are extremely pleased to offer the job of president and CEO to Patrick Weeks,” Judge Jim Spears, chairman of the museum’s board of directors, said in the release. “He has the vision, leadership and experience needed to build on Jim Dunn’s success and guide the museum through this important stage of development and beyond.”
Weeks has more than two decades of experience in the creation and operations of guest experiences, environments and programming for museums, science centers and theme parks. He is the current principal of Strategic Experience Solutions in Dublin, Ohio, which focuses on project planning; implementation and oversight; growth and development of operations; annual budgets; and guest experiences.
“Patrick has played an integral role in the design, construction and exhibit creation of several national entities,” Robert Young, chairman of the museum’s foundation, said in the release. “At the Arizona Science Center, he fostered relationships with corporate sponsors, individual donors and municipal government entities to complete a $24.5 million capital reinvestment project. I’m confident he and Jim Dunn will do the same for the U.S. Marshals Museum to bring this project over the finish line.”
Prior to Strategic Experience Solutions, Weeks served as vice president of Roto, a full-service design and production firm specializing in experiences for museums and entertainment venues. There, he oversaw the development and creation of a multi-million dollar gallery project for a large science museum. He also served as vice president of operations and guest experiences for the Arizona Science Center.
According to Dunn, the building will be the single biggest component of the project cost. Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects and Cambridge Seven Associates are currently in the process of revising the museum’s schematic design. Once this phase is complete, the architects and CDI Contractors, the construction consultant, will provide an updated cost for construction. The current $22.5 million cost estimate is from 2009. The museum is currently expected to open in 2018.