Replaces long-time leader Don Motley who is retiring after 18 years
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is pleased to announce the selection of Gregory D. Baker as its new executive director, effective December 17, 2008. Mr. Baker's hire is the result of an extensive search process that examined a national pool of candidates. As executive director, Baker will oversee the operations and organizational and strategic planning for the museum, and will report to its board of directors.
"Greg Baker brings an outstanding combination of business and technical acumen," said Pellom McDaniels, III, Ph.D., president-elect of the NLBM Board of Directors. "He is well-equipped to further enhance the museum's position as a premier destination for baseball fans, historians, and scholars from across the country and around the world," added McDaniels.
Mr. Baker will replace Don Motley, who is retiring after 18 years as the executive director of the NLBM. One of the original founders of the NLBM, Mr. Motley has made invaluable contributions to the preservation of the history of black baseball and to the education of the public about the segregated leagues. The museum is fortunate to have had his leadership and will continue to benefit from Mr. Motley's service as a fulltime member of the organization's board of directors.
Mr. Motley stated that "Greg brings a new energy to the museum. And, among his other duties, he will continue our mission to raise the dollars necessary to see Buck's dream become a reality with the redevelopment of the Paseo YMCA into the John "Buck" O'Neil Education and Research Center."
"I'm honored and excited at the opportunity to oversee the next phase of growth for the museum," said Mr. Baker. "I grew up in Kansas City, played baseball at De La Salle and through baseball I met 'Coach' Motley. Having spent a great deal of my youth in the 18th & Vine area I have watched the area's resurgence with great satisfaction. To be part of that with the NLBM is an opportunity and responsibility I relish."
Mr. Baker is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. For the last seven years he has served as the assistant to the city manager for the City of Kansas City, Missouri, spurring numerous initiatives to make the city more vibrant and to maximize efficiency in city government. Prior to that, Mr. Baker served as president and CEO of LeadTeam LLC, a start-up leadership and marketing consulting firm. Mr. Baker was the founding executive director of the Minority Supplier Council, working with top CEO's to connect more than 125 mainstream corporations and 185 minority firms. Those connections increased business revenues from $1.8 million to more than $467 million and stimulated new employment over a 15-year period.
Mr. Baker will benefit from the knowledge and experience of director of marketing Bob Kendrick and that of deputy director/chief curator Dr. Raymond Doswell, both of whom have been with the museum for ten plus years and have been integral to its success. About working with this seasoned staff Baker stated, "I look forward to working with Bob Kendrick, Dr. Raymond Doswell, and the rest of the team at the museum."
About the NLBM
Founded in 1990, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is a privately funded, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the rich history of African-American Baseball. Opened in 1997, its 10,000 square foot facility features multi-media displays, a museum store, as well as a growing collection of baseball photographs and artifacts dating from the late 1800s through the 1960s. In 2006, the NLBM was designated by the United State Congress as "America's National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum." For more information, visit http://www.NLBM.com.
SOURCE Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
For further information: Pellom McDaniels III, Ph.D., President-elect, NLBM Board of Directors, +1-816-235-1399, pellom@yahoo.com; or Michael Kanaley of Global Prairie, +1-816-994-9644, michael.kanaley@global-prairie.com, for Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
© PR Newswire
