Succeeds John L. Barry, Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret)

Wings Over the Rockies (Wings) Air & Space Museum announced that Marcus A. Harshaw, Jr., has been named the new President and CEO, succeeding John L. Barry, Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret) who headed Wings with dedication and vision since 2017.

With nearly 20 years of experience, Harshaw served as the Associate Museum Director for Experiences at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, he led strategic development and operational direction for the museum and STEM outreach programs that engaged more than half a million guests annually.

Harshaw also served as Vice President of Learning & Facilities at Kaleideum, a dynamic and innovative museum for experiential learning in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

In his role as Wings’ new President and CEO, Harshaw will focus on enhancing visitor experiences, expanding its educational programs, strengthening community engagement and impact, and driving innovation at both the Air & Space Museum in the Lowry neighborhood of Denver as well as at the Exploration of Flight campus at Centennial Airport (KAPA) in Englewood, south of Denver.

Charlie Johnson, Wings Board Chairman said, “This year Wings starts a new chapter and welcomes Marcus, whose exceptional museum leadership and experience will propel our mission to educate, inspire and excite the next generation of aviation and space explorers.”

He added, “Marcus’ proven leadership in driving museum growth, creating exceptional visitor experiences, and building strong community partnerships makes him the ideal leader to shape Wings’ future.”

Harshaw is currently an adjunct lecturer at Johns Hopkins University Advanced Academic Programs. He earned his Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in History, cum laude, from Northern Kentucky University.

“I’m excited to start at Wings and look forward to working with staff, members, volunteers and community partners. My goal is to elevate the museum to new heights, sharing the future of aviation and space exploration,” said Harshaw.

FMI:  wingsmuseum.org/