FORT SMITH -- The U.S. Marshals Museum on Tuesday announced a new president and chief executive officer to lead the museum to its opening.
Ben Johnson will assume the role Aug. 22, according to a news release. He is now vice president of museum experience for the Putnam Museum and Science Center, a 120,000-square-foot museum in Davenport, Iowa, that sees about 120,000 visitors yearly.
Doug Babb, chairman of the marshals museum's board, said in the release that the museum did a national search to hire the museum's leader.
Johnson understands every aspect of museum operations from performing "nearly every position" in the museum industry during his 20 years in the field, according to Babb.
"Ben brings us the expertise we need to complete the fabrication and installation of the museum experience, hire and train our museum staff and develop a business plan for an operating museum," Babb said. "We expect that with a new CEO with a track record of success in museum operations, we can accelerate our fundraising and open to the public next year."
Johnson is responsible for all facets of museum operations and the guest experience at the Putnam Museum, according to the release. He previously served as executive director of the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, N.Y., where he increased annual visits and revenues over five years.
"I am both excited and humbled to lead the organization honoring the brave men and women who have served our nation since 1789," Johnson said in the release. "As sacred ground, Fort Smith is the ideal location for this world-class museum, and I look forward to sharing it with the world."
Patrick Weeks, the museum's previous president and CEO, resigned March 4. Weeks, 53, of Fort Smith was arrested Dec. 21 in connection with two felony counts of aggravated assault with a firearm after two utility workers reported he pointed a gun at them, according to police. He was released from the Sebastian County jail the next day on a $6,000 bond and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Dec. 30.
Weeks' jury trial is set for the week of Oct. 3 in the county Circuit Court, according to court records.
The museum hired Weeks in 2016. He previously worked as head of the museum exhibit consulting firm Strategic Experience Solutions in Dublin, Ohio.
Babb has been responsible for day-to-day operations for the museum and coordinating progress in the museum project with staff and the museum board, as well as the Marshals Museum Foundation board, since Weeks was put on administrative leave Dec. 23.
Lindauer, a Boston-based executive search firm the museum hired, selected eight qualified semifinalists from throughout the country for the president and CEO position, Babb said Tuesday. Babb, museum staff members and a search committee whittled that list to three before recommending that the museum board hire Johnson. The board unanimously approved Johnson's appointment Tuesday.
Johnson was the only candidate invited to visit Fort Smith in late July, according to Babb. He was the first choice by a considerable margin.
"He's young, enthusiastic, energetic and really wants this position," Babb said.
Babb declined to disclose what Johnson's salary will be.
Babb said a new campaign will begin when Johnson starts Aug. 22 to raise the money needed to complete the museum foundation's capital campaign for the museum project, which will total about $50 million. The remaining $3.87 million to be raised includes about $1.7 million to build exhibits as well as money to develop the museum building's interior.
The museum signed a $7.8 million contract with Thinkwell, a Los Angeles company, in November to build the exhibits. The need for about $1.7 million more to build them was the result of increased costs due to inflation and supply chain issues, among other factors.
Babb has said exhibit fabrication is planned to be finished by spring, barring any vendor labor or supply chain issues. Everything is set to be installed by late spring or early summer. The museum will announce an opening date once the exhibits are substantially completed.
Fort Smith voters rejected a proposal in March 2019 to levy a nine-month, 1% sales tax to pay for the museum's completion. Construction of the main museum building, which consists of about 53,000 square feet at 789 Riverfront Drive along the Arkansas River, was completed in January 2020.