The Laptop Historical past Museum‘s search to succeed outgoing CEO Dan’l Lewin didn’t go fairly to the reaches of area, however it did go so far as NASA.
Silicon Valley’s reply to the Smithsonian introduced Wednesday that its new CEO will likely be Marc Etkind, who served because the area company’s affiliate administrator of communications from 2021 till this previous January.
“I’m a storyteller at heart, but I’m also focused on using new technology,” Etkind, 59, whose pre-NASA profession included the Science Channel and Discovery, mentioned in an interview this week. “My job at NASA was really broad in different ways of telling stories, and I hope to bring that broadness of telling stories to the museum.”
At NASA, he led a workforce of 400 individuals throughout 10 facilities, sharing NASA’s triumphs and challenges to some 400 million followers. He additionally was in command of historic preservation, launched its streaming service and revamped the company’s web site. Eileen Fagan, chair of the search committee, known as Etkind a “transformative, inspirational, and thoughtful leader” to take the museum into its subsequent stage.
“His dedication to sharing his lifelong love of science and technology, coupled with his storytelling expertise, make him the perfect
leader to help CHM grow and build,” Fagan mentioned.
Lewin, a former govt at Microsoft, stepped into the CEO position in 2018, main the museum by means of the problem of COVID-19 and increasing its on-line attain by means of the “OpenCHM program.” Throughout his tenure, the museum introduced in additional than $75 million in items from firms, foundations and people. Lewin introduced his plan to retire final June however mentioned he would keep on till his substitute was discovered.
Etkind, who will begin his new job in mid-April, mentioned he’d prefer to hold bringing in forward-looking options like the present “Chatbots Decoded” exhibit, creating occasions, increase the schooling program and bringing in a few of tech’s prime thinkers, like final week’s look by Invoice Gates. Doing that ought to assist usher in a much bigger viewers to the Laptop Historical past Museum, which has a fame as a hidden gem within the valley.
“I want to make it an ‘unhidden’ gem,” Etkind mentioned. “How can we touch people, motivate people and inspire folks to learn about computers and important issues?”
Whereas Etkind says he’ll proceed rising the museum just about by means of its on-line presence, he additionally believes there’s one thing particular and necessary about having a brick-and-mortar location the place guests can expertise the tech artifacts in exhibitions just like the gorgeous “Revolution” in individual — surrounded by corporations like Google and Microsoft.
“I am a firm believer in physical locations. I think people want a spot, a community where they can come together around ideas and around discussions,” Etkind mentioned. “And this museum has so many things going for it. It has a great collection that’s a million strong and a great location in the heart of Silicon Valley.”
TRIBUTE TO A PIONEER: There was a packed home Sunday on the Alviso South Bay Yacht Membership for a ceremony honoring Thomas Foon Chew, an influential Chinese language American immigrant from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who owned Bayside Canning Co. in Alviso. The audio system included educator and historian Gloria Hom, Chew’s granddaughter; Alviso native Richard Santos, whose household labored for Bayside Cannery; and Grant Han, a pupil at BASIS Excessive Faculty in San Jose who has been engaged on a documentary about Alviso that options Chew’s story.
The celebration isn’t over, both, because the San Jose Metropolis Council subsequent week is ready to declare subsequent Feb. 24 as Thomas Foon Chew Day, commemorating the 93rd anniversary of his loss of life in 1932.
GO ASK ALICE: The Montalvo Service Group’s annual Mad Hatter’s Tea Get together is arriving simply in time for spring March 23. There are three seatings from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the scenic villa in Saratoga. The menu, catered by Get together Helpers, consists of all the things you want for a day tea — sandwiches, scones, muffins, cookies and, effectively, tea. Get your fanciest hat prepared and head to the “events” tab at my.montalvoarts.org for tickets.
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