Mariners' Museum picks leader to replace retiring chief

NEWPORT NEWS

William B. Cogar has been named president and CEO of The Mariners' Museum, effective Nov. 1.

Cogar came on as the museum's chief operating officer in 2007 and will replace Timothy J. Sullivan when he retires on Oct. 31.

Cogar's selection by the 22-member board of trustees was unanimous, said John Lawson, chairman. "An indication of our confidence in Bill is that we did not engage a consultant and do a national search.

"We believe that Bill will continue the good work that Tim started," especially in partnerships with related organizations, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Lawson said.

Cogar, 60, has published books and articles on naval and maritime history, and was a history professor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. He worked at the Mariners' as vice president and chief curator from 1998 to 2002.

He then spent five years as vice president for collections and research at Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Conn., a top maritime museum.

"When I first came here, I recognized the extraordinary value of The Mariners' Museum. This place has such a world-class collection and such an extraordinary staff," Cogar said Thursday, when his promotion was announced.

He said it is the finest museum of its kind in North America. Cogar noted that the $31 million U.S. Monitor Center, a new portion of the museum that opened in 2007, was named the top exhibition that year by the American Association of Museums.

Sullivan, 65 and a former president of the College of William and Mary, has directed the museum since November 2007. "Tim has been a wonderful leader," Lawson said, adding that Sullivan told the board when he was hired that he envisioned a three-year stint.

Foremost among his projects was the museum's library, which opened last fall on the campus of the adjacent Christopher Newport University. Sullivan helped make the deal with CNU for much-improved housing for North America's largest maritime archives, including books, maps and photographs.

Teresa Annas, (757) 446-2485, teresa.annas@pilotonline.com