2015 – 4/28/2015
For Immediate Release
MUSEUM ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Telluride, Colorado (April 28, 2015) – The Telluride Historical Museum today announced the hire of Kiernan Lannon as the executive director effective May 11, 2015. Lannon will be replacing Erica Kinias who recently resigned after holding the position since March of 2012.
Lannon most recently served as Executive Director of the Smithtown Historical Society in Smithtown, New York. Smithtown, a small town located on the north shore of Long Island, just recently celebrated its 350th founding anniversary. The Historical Society consists of eight historic structures nestled on 22 acres of parkland. In addition to serving as executive director at Smithtown, Lannon was a project intern at the USS CONSTITUTION Museum and served as an interpreter at Naper Settlement, a historical site Illinois settlement outside of Chicago, IL.
Lannon holds a B.A. in history and political science from Marquette University and a M.A. in Museum Studies. An avid runner and outdoor enthusiast, Lannon is looking forward to experiencing Telluride’s rugged outdoors and history. “How can you not be excited about moving to Telluride? It’s almost incomprehensibly beautiful and everyone I have met has been extremely nice and welcoming.” Lannon commented. “Telluride strikes me as a place where comfort and culture come together, and that was exactly the community I was hoping to find for my new home.”
Danny Craft, the Museum’s board president, commented, “Kiernan Lannon has worked for the Smithtown Historical Society in Smithtown, NY for the last nine years. He has a passion for community enhancements and educational engagement and will be a strong asset to the museum and community. Erica has done a wonderful job getting the museum to a professional level and expanding the reach and quality of what the Museum has to offer. Kiernan has the knowledge and ability to build on this strong foundation to continue to make the museum a cultural asset and reach that next level.”
“I’m thrilled and honored to have been selected as the next director of the Telluride Historical Museum.” Lannon commented. “It is a dynamic museum that is doing some really great things. Erica has done a remarkable job bringing the museum to this point and is leaving some pretty big shoes to fill. I’m looking forward to the challenge of trying to fill those shoes by continuing to give the Telluride community the viable and valuable cultural resource it deserves.”
For more information, please contact Anne Gerhard, Director of Programs and Exhibits at the Telluride Historical Museum at (970) 728-3344×2, or anne@telluridemuseum.org.