The Perot Museum of Nature and Science elected new officers and six new board members at its annual meeting held Sept. 20. Mac McFarland,CEO of GenOn Energy, will serve as chair of the board of directors for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. McFarland succeeds Hernan Saenz, who served as chair for the 2016-2018 fiscal years. Joining McFarland as board officers are Karen Katz (former CEO, Neiman Marcus Group) as vice chair, Andrew Gould (Wick Phillips) as secretary, and Lane Britain (PetroCap, LLC)as treasurer. McFarland and the other officers assumed their duties Oct. 1.
New board members are Nancy Best (Community Volunteer), Nancy Perot (Owner, Interabang Books), Royce Ramey (Tolleson Wealth Management), Marlene Fogarty Sughrue (Dallas Art Fair), Robert Vaughn (Vaughn Capital Partners, LLC),and Jacob Walter (Hillwood Urban).
Having served on the Perot Museum’s board since 2013, McFarland brings to the board a deep knowledge of both the sciences and business management. He holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from Virginia Tech and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Delaware. He has served as CEO of GenOn Energy since April 2017.
“We are thrilled to have Mac McFarland take the helm while also welcoming our new board members to the Perot Museum team,” said Dr. Linda Silver, Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer of the Perot Museum. “This is an exciting time for the Museum as we move forward with important strategic initiatives that will guide the Museum into the future and ultimately support our community, our workforce and the leaders of tomorrow. These talented and passionate new officers and board members bring vast expertise, talents and unique perspectives that will prove invaluable as we deliver on our mission to inspire minds through nature and science.”
In addition to McFarland and the new board officers, the 2018-2019 board includes Sheila Beuerlein, Sam A. Bloom, Michael W. Brittian, Marc Christensen, Kelly Compton, David R. Corrigan, Jeffrey Greenberg, Joan Buchanan Hill, Forrest Hoglund, Walt Humann, Donald D. Humphreys, Stephanie Hunt, John Jaggers, Kent Novak, Eric Reeves, Earl Simpkins, Nicole Small, Gail Copus Spann, Sharon Tindell, Daniel Tobey, Bill Wade and Abigail Williams.
The Perot Museum is further supported by the museum council, a group of community leaders who, along with the board of directors, help shape the growth and direction of the Museum. Museum council members share their talents and wisdom while serving as community advocates for the Museum. The Perot Museum has welcomed five new members for the 2018-2019 fiscal year: Nancy Carlson (Carlson Capital), Maria-Cristina Jaramillo (Christ the King School), Venu Menon (Texas Instruments, Inc.), Pam Okada (Plano Children’s Emergency Department and UT Southwestern Medical Center) and Ken Wimberly (American Airlines, Inc.)
Other members of the museum council are Kelvin Baggett, Yasmin Bhatia, Catherine Corrigan, Scott Drablos, Richard Eiseman, Gregg Fleisher, Ron Gard, Loren Greaves, Sharron Hunt, Andy Inglis, Clane LaCrosse, Virginia Mimmack, Raamel Mitchell, Catherine Rose, Thomas Surgent, Jacob Walter and Timothy Ward.
“We are all committed to deepening the Museum’s impact in the community and encouraging the next generation of scientists, thinkers and explorers,” said McFarland. “I am eager for our board and museum council to collaborate with Dr. Silver and her team to build upon the wonderful momentum of this world-class Museum.”
The Perot Museum engaged more than a million guests through on-site and outreach experiences last year. Under the leadership of Silver and McFarland, and with the new board of directors, the Perot Museum looks forward to another successful year of inspiring minds through nature and science.
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About the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The top cultural attraction in Dallas/Fort Worth and a Michelin Green Guide three-star destination, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational organization located in Victory Park in the heart of Dallas, Texas. With a mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor and outreach experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The 180,000-square-foot facility opened in December 2012 and is now recognized as the symbolic gateway to the Dallas Arts District. Future scientists, mathematicians and engineers will find inspiration and enlightenment through 11 permanent exhibit halls on five floors of public space; a children’s museum; a state-of-the art traveling exhibition hall; and The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience. Designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, the Museum has been lauded for its artistry and sustainability. To learn more, please visit perotmuseum.org.