Fort Lauderdale, FL, – Kim L. Cavendish, President/CEO of the Museum of Discovery and Science, announced to the Museum’s Board of Trustees that she intends to retire at the end of 2017.
Cavendish said, “I have led the Museum for a total of nearly 30 years, but it is time for me to open the next chapter in my life. The Board of Trustees now has a good timeframe in which to find an appropriate new leader for the Museum and we will have a calm and successful transition. I am looking forward to spending more time with my daughter, and traveling to pursue my interests in wildlife, photography, and cultures around the world.”
“Kim is a true visionary for the Museum who has helped to turn it into one of the most sustainable, well-respected institutions in Fort Lauderdale. She has put in place a talented, qualified Board and staff while building a strong foundation from which we can continue to grow the Museum throughout the long-term. I have had the privilege of seeing first-hand the positive impact of Kim’s organizational leadership, and know that her insight will help to create a smooth transition to a new CEO. I wish her the best in all of her new endeavors,” said Kenneth Stiles, CEO Stiles Corporation and MODS Chairman of the Board.
Cavendish was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Florida Association of Museums in 2013. The Lifetime Achievement award is presented to individuals who have worked in the museum field for many years and whose career has made a profound impact on the museum industry, on individual museums, and on the lives of the citizens of the State of Florida.
Cavendish has led museums since 1981 and, during that time, has served as the chief executive officer for Orlando Science Center, the Virginia Air and Space Center and the Museum of Discovery and Science, along with its forerunner, The Discovery Center. In total, she has contributed her brand of exemplary museum leadership to the museum industry for more than 36 years.
As the chief executive officer of the Museum of Discovery and Science, Kim Cavendish spearheaded its growth from its modest beginnings as “the Discovery Center” to its establishment as a major science center with a popular IMAX Theater, which opened in 1992. In 1995 she transitioned to the Virginia museum and in 2000 to Orlando. She returned to Fort Lauderdale as the President of MODS in 2002.
In 2011, she opened the EcoDiscovery Center, a two-story, 34,000-square-foot addition that effectively doubled the exhibit space of the Museum which was phase I of a $35 million capital project. The new EcoDiscovery Center achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental (LEED®) Silver certification. Currently, phase II of that project is well underway, including renovation of the AutoNation IMAX Theater (already completed), exhibit upgrades and renovations to the 25-year-old original facility that are currently under construction, and development of an outdoor Science Park facing Broward Boulevard, which is in the final stages of permitting.
Jonathan P. Ferrando, Executive Vice President of AutoNation and Immediate Past Chair of MODS Board said, “Kim has been an exceptional leader of the Museum of Discovery and Science. She provided the vision and strategy to build the world-class Museum that we have today. The Museum is in great shape operationally, financially and from a facility standpoint. In addition, Kim has led a strong, long-tenured management team that gives the Board confidence in a smooth transition to a new CEO later this year. Kim has been a true professional and great to work with from a Board perspective. While she will be missed, we look forward to a bright future at MODS and wish Kim all the best in her well-deserved retirement.”
She earned a B.A. degree from University of Florida and also attended Duke University and George Washington University, as well as museum management programs at the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Colorado. She has received the following awards: 1990 Woman of the Year by Women in Communication; 1993 Woman of Distinction by, South Florida Magazine; 1994 Fundraising Award by Florida Association of Non-Profit Organizations; 2008 Distinguished Alumna from Holton Arms School; 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Association of Museums. She was a two-term President of the Florida Association of Museums. She has published articles on museum marketing and on managing in fiscal crisis, and has made numerous presentations on strategic planning, board development, financial management, and mining data for decision-making at the annual conferences of ASTC and AAM. She recently completed multiple terms on the Boards of Directors of the Association of Science-Technology Centers, chairing its Analyses and Trends Committee; the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association, serving as its Treasurer; and the Coral Springs Museum of Art. She is currently serving on Board of the Giant Screen Cinema Association after serving as President for two terms.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE
The mission of the Museum of Discovery and Science is to provide experiential pathways to lifelong learning in science for children and adults through exhibits, programs and films. Founded in 1976 as The Discovery Center, the nonprofit facility serves approximately 400,000 visitors annually. Major operational support for the Museum is provided through generous support by Leadership Guild members including: JM Family Enterprises, Inc., Jet Blue and Wells Fargo.
The Museum is open seven days a week, 365 days a year; Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. The Museum of Discovery and Science is located downtown at 401 SW Second Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312. For more information about the Museum, visitors should call 954.467.MODS (6637) or visit our web site at www.mods.org