After taking the helm of the Northwest Maritime Center & Wooden Boat Foundation (NWMC/WBF) three and a half years ago and wrapping up a $12.8 million capital campaign this spring, Executive Director Stan Cummings will step down at the end of this year.

Cummings, 65, announced his pending retirement to the nonprofit’s board of directors late last week, saying he and his wife, Sigrid, expect to stay in Jefferson County and that he will remain available to work with his successor to ensure an orderly transition.

“With the successful completion of the capital campaign and with the new Northwest Maritime Center open and functioning in nearly all respects, the reason I was brought to Port Townsend and my motivation for coming are fulfilled,” Cummings said.

“I will forever cherish the memories and find satisfaction in the role I played on the team that made this all happen.”

NWMC/WBF Board President Steve Oliver says the not-unexpected news of Cummings’ retirement comes at an exciting time in the nonprofit organization’s trajectory. “The organization is financially strong, working toward sustainability, and poised for long-term success,” he said. “Stan has led us to this point and now it’s a logical time for a transition.

“His legacy will be having overseen the completion of both our capital campaign and the actual construction of our beautiful facility,” Oliver continued. “He worked very, very hard and the outcome has just been tremendous.”

Cummings’ departure is effective January 1, 2011 , or sooner at the discretion of the board. A search committee has been formed to find his replacement.

Cummings was hired in November 2006 to succeed longtime executive director Dave Robison, who became the building project manager, and to close out the Maritime Center ’s decade-long fundraising campaign. Cummings had previously managed a $16.5 million capital campaign for the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, Calif., where he held the top leadership post for two decades.

This spring, Cummings pulled out all the stops to ensure the Maritime Center met a $1.1 million fundraising challenge offered by the Kresge and Bill & Melinda Gates foundations. His team of board, staff and volunteers succeeded, raising more than $1 million from private donors in the final six months prior to the March 31 challenge grant deadline.

 In his letter of resignation, Cummings thanked the board for the opportunity to lead the Maritime Center and to realize the community’s dream of a flagship center for Port Townsend’s maritime heritage. He says he now looks forward to spending more time with his family, which includes two daughters, and enjoying the outdoors.

 With all venues officially open to the public as of May 1, 2010, the Northwest Maritime Center features public open spaces, a rebuilt deep-water pier, and a 27,000-square-foot “green” facility built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold standards.

 The Chandler Maritime Education Building and the Maritime Heritage & Resource Building house a boat shop, chandlery, maritime library, classrooms, pilothouse, meeting rooms, coffee shop, offices and a boat house that’s open to the public.

The center is aimed at engaging and educating people of all generations in traditional and contemporary maritime life. It is also the home of the Wooden Boat Foundation, which stages Port Townsend’s popular Wooden Boat Festival each September.

About Marty McOmber

Marty McOmber is editor and co-founder of Three Sheets Northwest. He is an avid sailor and long-time professional journalist. You can find Marty aboard Three Sheets, an Island Packet 38.

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