The Huntsville Times is reporting that the Executive Committee of the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission (ASSEC) Executive Committee voted unanimously to submit a job offer for the position of Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center to Dr. Deborah Edwards Barnhart.
Dr. Barnhart was the director of the Space Camp programs from 1986 until 1990, working under Ed Buckbee, Space Camp’s founder and first CEO.
I also want to note that Wes Lyons, a former USSRC employee and ardent supporter of Space Camp, has been dutifully attending all of the board meetings since a new sunshine act went into effect in Alabama and all of the ASSEC meetings became open to the public. He’s posted those notes at the site, sprocketeers.org.
I’ve often criticized Space Camp for having no memory of its past. If the whole of the ASSEC approves the offer when they meet next week, and if Dr. Barnhart accepts, perhaps she’ll bring some of that history back with her.
This morning, there was an article on al.com revealing that when it was announced in August that U.S. Space & Rocket Center CEO Larry Capps would be retiring, that wasn’t quite true:
When the meeting was over, then-chair Dorothy Davidson and Capps met with a reporter. Capps announced he was resigning, and Davidson said, “We just spent two-and-a-half hours trying to convince him not to.”
Not really, said then-commission secretary Daniel Wilson, in an Aug. 16 e-mail to Davidson. “As you know, that was not what happened in the meeting,” Wilson wrote.
This afternoon, the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, the board of directors that oversees the USSRC, convened to discuss the situation.
As it turns out, the board voted to fire Larry Capps in August, but this vote was quickly rescinded, giving Larry the chance to retire. An agreement was somehow struck for him to stay on while the search for a new CEO was on.
Tonight’s meeting opened with a current state of finances at USSRC. In short (and I think I have this right), thanks mostly to some licensing revenue coming in for Space Camp India, the financial situation isn’t horrible, but the USSRC has just about maxed out their line of credit. A fee due from the Space Camp India is expected to pay down a great deal of the money owed on the line of credit, but…well, I’m not a finance guy.
After that, a motion was brought forth to set Larry’s retirement date at February 28, 2011, at which point he will formally retire from the USSRC. The hope here is that a new CEO can be found soon (my vote is for Hoot Gibson) and brought on with Larry still around to ensure a smooth transition.
Then the board proceeded to go back and forth with each other over the situation for the better part of two hours while they argued the finer points of who would be CEO if there were two CEOs, would Larry be entitled to enact a “No Fault Termination” clause that would entitle him to one year of pay after February 28, etc. At one point, they tried to go into an “Executive Session” so that the public would not be able to witness the proceedings (it was becoming very clear that there isn’t a great deal of peace and harmony amongst board members), so some time went by while they figured out if they legally could…it was decided that they probably couldn’t, and eventually the motion was carried with an amendment that they clarify that, when a new CEO is hired, Larry will officially be in the role of a consultant until February 28, 2011 at which point he will retire.
The session broke while the lawyers wrote up the paper work.
Prior to this year, every year of the Space Camp Hall of Fame seemed to go off better than the previous.
This year proved itself to be no exception to that rule!
The 2010 Space Camp Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was a fantastic event. If you missed it, you missed out! It was probably the single greatest party Space Camp has ever thrown!
To all of those that worked so hard this year to make the night the success that it was, congratulations are certainly due. The hard work payed off and a fantastic time was had by all!
This of course makes the task of trying to top this year all the more difficult. But use the after-event glow you all should certainly be basking in as a motivator to put together another fantastic evening next year for the 2011 class of inductees.
In the meantime, if you weren’t able to attend, please enjoy a recount of the evening. It probably won’t do the evening justice, but it will be better than nothing.
After a few opening remarks by Space & Rocket Center CEO Larry Capps, the audience was treated to a wonderfully produced, though quite emotional “Space Shuttle Tribute” video, put together by, and shown with the permission of, Space City Films, Inc.
As Larry Capps pointed out, by the time the 2011 Space Camp Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony comes around, the Space Shuttle Program will likely be a program of the past.
Dinner service was held immediately after and I must give my complements to the chef, especially with the dessert, because it was out of this world!
After dinner was finished, The Weather Channel’s Stephanie Abrams was introduced as the Master of Ceremony for the event. Her job as MC is to be commended, but her real duty was done that morning. Thanks to her wonderful segments that were broadcast on The Weather Channel that morning, who knows how many people learned about the existence of such a wonderful place as this!
Stephanie introduced the three speakers for the evening. Former Astronaut Don Thomas went first and NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver did an admirable job speaking last. But the speaker in the middle, Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger was the real sweetheart of the evening. Hot on the heels of her space shot, Dottie returned to Space Camp for the first time since her 2007 induction into the Space Camp Hall of Fame to share just how she got from here to there, along with the unique experiences that go along with space travel.
After these speeches, it was time for the true honorees of the evening. In the past, Space Camp has posted the wondeful introduction videos they put together for each inductee. Those have yet to show up on YouTube. Hopefully they’ll show up soon! I do have the speeches recorded though!
First up, was Francis French. And here I must apologize. I only recorded half of his speech. It was a great half though:
Next up was, of all people, my Advanced Space Academy counselor from 1999 (true story), Dave Hnyda!
After “Space Camp Dave,” Dr. Andrea M. Hanson, Ph.D., who has to be the absolute perkiest woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, gave an absolutely buoyant speech:
Finally, Danny Jacques received recognition for his tireless works to bring kids to Space Camp:
After Danny’s emotional speech, the ceremony concluded, but the night was just getting started. Max-Q was finally at Space Camp!
Comments Off on Space Camp on The Weather Channel Friday
Noted two-time Space Camp alumnus and Weather Channel Meteorologist, Stephanie Abrams, in addition to performing as master of ceremonies for the 4th Annual Space Camp Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony this Friday will broadcast live from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center during her segments on The Weather Channel.
Be sure to tune in to The Weather Channel (as if you weren’t going to already) between 6am and 10am Eastern Time this Friday!
Local Huntsville news station WAFF48 is reporting that Larry Capps, CEO of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center has announced his intention to retire from that position.
Comments Off on Hall of Fame Auction Items on eBay
The 2009 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony introduced a new annual tradition to the event: an auction to benefit the Space Camp Scholarship Fund.
Thanks to many generous donors and bidders, the auction was a resounding success. The only criticism that came out of it was that you had to be present to take part in bidding.
This year, Space Camp has posted some of the donated items onto eBay so that everyone may bid on them. And there are some real gems available.
You can decide for yourself what those are, but be sure to bid on them!
Bidding on these items will conclude one week from now, at the close of the 2010 Space Camp Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Have you purchased your tickets yet?
These won’t be the items available for bidding, of course. Those who attend this year’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will have a chance to bid on more fantastic items!
Comments Off on Norway – ISC 2010 Opening Ceremony
Teacher Frederik Gunther and students Eivind Roson and Nina Lisa Nordskag of Norway decided to get the audience involved this year by teaching the art of dance. Overall, I think it was very well received, even if the audience didn’t exactly pick up on all of the steps!
I would also like to take this opportunity to disparage the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS camera. It’s not very good….Sorry about the quality of the video. I’ll try to have better equipment next year. Sadly, all of this year’s videos are going to be a bit out of focus. *sigh*
International Space Camp begins this evening with the opening ceremony is scheduled for 5pm in the Davidson Center Theater.
As always, delegates from each country will do some sort of opening presentation to educate the audience about their culture. And there are always some very funny presentations. As always, I’ll get as much video and post the ones I like best!
In addition to the international visitors, the Teachers of the Year from each of the 50 states and territories are invited to come to camp. The National Teacher of the Year will be here as well. This year’s National Teacher of the Year is Sarah Brown Wessling from Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa.
I can’t wait to see the costumes and presentations!
I do hope our international guests enjoy their time this week!
Students and teachers have flown all over the world to a