After just four months on the job, the executive director of the History Museum on the Square, Katie Turer, resigned and left her post on July 1.
According to the museum’s business manager and acting director, Charlotte McCoy, the split was amicable — stemming from her spouse’s out-of-state job opportunity.
“She’s moving with her husband to Kentucky…I don’t think anyone, you know, realizes what’s going to happen with spouses, moves, jobs, etc. But we had no idea and she had no idea when she took the job that she was going to leave us so soon,” McCoy told the News-Leader.
Before becoming director in March, Turer had been responsible for the museum’s community outreach since 2019. When the history museum’s longtime director John Sellars resigned earlier this year, Turer was elevated to the top job. .
“With her experience, background and training, the board felt she could fit in perfectly,” McCoy said. But by May, Turer had put his notice — setting up a nationwide search for a new director, which has taken place over the past few months.
After:Registration for ‘World’s Greatest Scavenger Hunt’ for Hand-Blown Glass Marbles Begins July 1
According to McCoy, initial interviews have already been conducted for candidates and a new manager “will hopefully be installed in the near future.”
The now-closed job listing advertises a salary of $55,000 for the position.
“The History Museum in the Square is seeking an innovative Executive Director to lead the museum through this period of growth. The Director will lead the development and execution of a strategic plan. He will engage with stakeholders museum stakeholders, take a holistic look at museum operations, and ensure financial stability and inclusiveness,” the listing reads.
The new director will focus on new educational programming and fill their downtown venue,” McCoy told the News-Leader
“We opened the new museum and 2019 just before the pandemic hit. So there’s a lot of things with this great place that we’re focused on, including new educational programs put in place during Katie’s tenure. We’re moving forward.”
