A public reception will be held for finalists for the position of Flint Hills Discovery Center Director on Friday, March 8, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Flint Hills Discovery Center, 315 S. 3rd Street, Manhattan. Each candidate will give a brief introductory statement followed by informal introductions and questions. The reception is hosted by the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation. Members of the public are invited to attend and visit with the candidates and share ideas for the future of the Discovery Center.
The City of Manhattan is pleased to announce four finalists for the position of Director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center
Fred Goss – Mr. Goss is currently an Assistant Superintendent for Missouri State Parks, and he assists in the operation of the 3,100 acre state park system with numerous amenities including an interpretive nature center. He was formerly the Director of Greensboro Historical Museum in Greensboro, NC, and also held various positions at the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita, KS. Mr. Goss has a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master of Arts in Historic Administration from Eastern Illinois University.
Leslie Roe – Mr. Roe is the Director of the Pioneer Museum and Riordan Mansion in Flagstaff, AZ, a division of the Arizona Historical Society. He has held numerous positions with the Arizona Historical Society since 1998 and previously worked as an exhibit designer for the Phoenix Zoo and was founder and principal of a private design firm. Mr. Roe has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Hobart and William Smith College.
Dana Thorpe – Ms. Thorpe is the Executive Director of The Building for Kids Children’s Museum in Appleton, WI. Ms. Thorpe has over 25 years experience in museums and historical societies and notably held positions at the Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art & Science in Fresno, CA, and the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, IL. She has a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Science in Museology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Samuel Wegner – Mr. Wegner most recently served as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC. Mr. Wegner has over 30 years experience in museum management and history education and notably served as the Vice President of Education and Strategic Planning for the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA. Mr. Wegner has a Bachelor of Arts in U. S. Western History from the University of Arizona and a Master of Arts in U. S. Western History from the University of Idaho.
The position became vacant upon the resignation of Bob Workman, the first Director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center. Workman resigned effective January 15, 2013, and is the current Director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University. The finalists were selected following a nationwide search. An internal interview and selection process will be conducted on Friday, March 8.
