Change of command
Resourceful Rod Melendez, whose policies and presentations have bolstered the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center for the past 10 years, is stepping down as executive director.
“Yeah, he started everything,” said board Chairman Will Hays. “And he’s never accepted a salary in all those years. He also has contributed to the financing of some of our projects.”
Melendez, a retired Navy Rear Admiral, was responsible for establishing the Korean War exhibit in an added wing of the museum. This prompted KPBS to do a documentary on the war’s last battle.
Other events he brought attention to were the WWII Tuskegee airmen and the Bataan Death March.
“He firmly believed these historic stories and others should be retold,” added Hays.
Melendez’ leadership stems from a 36-year naval career ,which included three tours in Washington, D.C. He was also Commander, Naval Dental Center, San Diego, and Assistant Chief for Education, Training, and Personnel at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington, D.C.
Retired Navy Captain Sheldon Margolis will be the interim executive director; however, Margolis told us he would remain as a volunteer in the future but would not seek the permanent role of executive director.
Highlights of Margolis’ 30-year Navy career included tours as operations and executive officer, River Patrol and, Commanding Officer of the USS Lynde McCormick.
The Veterans Museum and Memorial Center is located at 2115 Park Blvd., in the historic former Navy Hospital Chapel, and honors the men and women of the Armed Forces, Coast Guard and wartime Merchant Marines.
Collections, including documents, photographs and artifacts from the Civil War to the present, have been donated and exhibits rotate. For more information visit veteranmuseum.org.
Spirit of ‘45 Day
National Spirit of ‘45 Day, epitomizing the end of WWII in 1945, will be celebrated on Aug. 10.
The first celebration was introduced by volunteer Dan DeMarco four years ago and has mushroomed into a nationally recognized event.
The public is welcome to attend and celebrate the victory in the garden area of the Veteran’s Museum.
Local leaders attending the day-long function will be former mayor and president of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Jerry Sanders, Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman, DA Bonnie Dumanis and Nathan Fletcher.
It starts at 11 am.
Change at Timken, too
The search has begun for a new executive director at the Timken Museum of Art since last month’s announced resignation by John Wilson.
In the interim, David Bull will fill the post.
Bull is considered one of the world’s best-known international authorities on Old Master paintings.
Wilson served six years at the post.
“We don’t have information as of yet regarding a permanent director,” said Paige Nordeen, a museum spokeswoman. “David will be guiding the institution through San Diego’s 2015 centennial celebrations in Balboa Park ,which coincides with the museum’s 50th anniversary celebration, and he will be leading several planning sessions over the next month.”
“John [Wilson] is leaving the museum to pursue other opportunities,” Nordeen told the press. “He is pursuing national and international opportunities.”
Timken houses the world-class Putnam Foundation Collection representing nearly 700 years of art from early Italian Renaissance devotional paintings to late 19th century paintings.
And, did you know?
At 28,000 square feet, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is considered the world’s largest.
It contains four enormous scale and model layouts, built by separate clubs. They depict railroads of the Southwest in O, HO, and N scales. Additionally, it features a toy train gallery with an interactive Lionel layout for children and state-of-the-art theater lighting.
— After an award winning, 38-year sports-writing career with the San Diego Union and authoring three books, Johnny McDonald now considers writing a hobby. He enjoys covering aspects of the port district, convention center, Balboa Park, zoo, and stories with a historical bent. You can reach him at [email protected]
