The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose is an exciting learning center and museum devoted to science and technology in the heart of Silicon Valley. The Tech’s mission to “Inspire the innovator in everyone” has impacted over 4 million visitors from around the world since its opening, with one-of-a-kind, hands-on interactive exhibits, workshops, and labs.
The Tech has initiated an awards program that honors innovators from around the world who are applying technology to benefit humanity. Since the program’s inception, the Tech Awards have given over $1.5 million to deserving organizations and individuals from Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America. In 2006, the Global Humanitarian Award was presented to Bill Gates for his philanthropic support of global humanitarian projects.
When the founding president retired after serving for over 15 years, The Tech approached Egon Zehnder International to find a successor who would build on the Tech’s foundations as a Silicon Valley institution to make the museum one of the premiere science and learning centers in the United States and indeed in the world. Besides a real personal commitment to education and technological innovation, the position called for long-standing leadership in a non-profit environment and extensive expertise in both running a science museum and fund raising.
Egon Zehnder International conducted a very rigorous search that began domestically and expanded internationally as The Tech sought the unique individual who would provide the necessary strategic vision, effectiveness in fund raising and resource development, results orientation, change leadership, people skills and leadership. The successful candidate is a technology-savvy innovator with a strong museum operational background and a track record of listening, learning, and leading. With a Ph.D. in Art History and over 25 years of technology museum experience, including leading the design, construction and establishment a national museum in Germany, he has demonstrated an ability to work with people from all over the world. Within just weeks of taking on this role, the new president is having significant top and bottom line impact and is leading a re-energized team to explore new frontiers in the museum world.
To express its support of the Tech’s aims, Egon Zehnder International conducted this search as a pro bono assignment.
For further information about the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, visit www.thetech.org and www.techawards.org.
