Richard "Dick" Hackett,
Chief Executive Officer

Richard Hackett

Chief Executive Officer:

Implements board policy; responsible for overall planning and budgeting; ultimately responsible for management/administration of the museum, for exhibits development and for programming; develops, implements and monitors staffing pattern that best meets the needs of museum operation; plays lead role in preparing and implementing development plan; works with board members to achieve maximum benefit for museum with regard to development plan; maintains relationships with other museums and other informal education environments; performs ongoing evaluation of CMOM; develops ways to increase and maintain visitor attendance and satisfaction; develops and implements methods of continual enhancement of museum; supervises CFO and department directors (senior management staff).

Prior to CMOM, Richard Hackett is probably best known as the Mayor of Memphis from 1982-1992. As mayor in 1990, he was instrumental in the museum’s conception by awarding a 25-year, $1-a-year lease of the old National Guard Armory at Central Avenue and Hollywood to CMOM’s founders. A native of Memphis, Hackett attended Memphis State University. Hackett was also the founder of WONDERS: The Memphis International Cultural Series. He served as senior vice president at ALSAC, the fund raising arm of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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