Wittmack named President/CEO of SCI

For Immediate Release — Wednesday, October 26, 2011

DES MOINES – October 26, 2011 – Art Wittmack, interim President/CEO of the Science Center of Iowa (SCI) since August 15, has officially been named the organization’s new leader.

“Art has done great things in his short time at the helm,” says Matthew Mouw, SCI Board Chairman. “Moving forward, we will remove the interim title. As President/CEO he will continue to build on the momentum SCI has enjoyed with its recent lineup of blockbuster exhibitions.”

Wittmack’s involvement with SCI goes back nearly 14 years. He served as a board member from 1998 to 2007, and board chair from 2005 to 2007. As President/CEO, he will focus on continuing the development of SCI’s varied educational experiences for individuals of all ages, both at SCI and throughout the state.

“In my short time as interim President/CEO, the exciting collaboration possible between informal science learning, business and industry, and the academic community that exists within Iowa has become apparent,” says Wittmack. “I’m excited the board has asked me to take this leadership role. I’m committed and passionate about working with our membership, underwriters and the community at large to provide the best resource possible to engage and inspire Iowans.”

“Through the new President/CEO search process, we recognized that we’ve got a great leader right under our nose,” says Mouw. “We’ve asked him to take on the role and Art has graciously and enthusiastically agreed to serve as SCI’s President/CEO in a sustained manner.”

For inquiries and interview coordination, please contact Board Member Todd Senne at 515-974-4700.

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Wittmack named President/CEO of Science Center of Iowa

About the Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater

The Science Center of Iowa is a 110,000-sq. ft facility devoted to lifelong learning, featuring dynamic experience platforms and daily interactive demonstrations with SCI staff for visitors to explore and experiment.  By placing the power of learning in the hands of the visitor, the programmatic emphasis is not on "what" to learn, but "how" to learn.  SCI also features the 175-seat John Deere Adventure Theater for live performances, the 50-foot domed Star Theater for planetarium shows and the 216-seat Blank IMAX Dome Theater for engaging films.  SCI’s Iowa Learning Center cultivates ties to formal education through educational resources for educators and students, the NAEYC-accredited SCI Preschool, as well as a statewide outreach program.