Museum Industry Leader To be Recognized during Iowa Museum Association Conference

The African American Museum of Iowa (AAMI) was founded in 1993 by six members of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church who felt that Iowans, especially black youth, were not learning enough about African American history. Among those six founders was Tom Moore. When the African American Heritage Foundation of Iowa was incorporated in 1994, Tom was the first vice president of the board. He held this position until March of 1997 when he became board president and served through 2000. He remained on the board until 2003, including a second term as vice president from 2002 to 2003. In 2003, the Museum’s first executive director moved on to a new position and Tom stepped in to volunteer as Interim Executive Director. “Interim” was dropped within the year and Tom served as Executive Director until 2013. During his 10 years at the AAMI, Tom guided the museum through the grand opening of its current facility, years of changing exhibits and educational programs, the Flood of 2008, the economic recession, and dozens of other challenges.

After a brief period of retirement from 2013 to 2014, Tom returned to serve as Executive Director in a volunteer capacity until February 2017, guiding the museum through a challenging transition period. In total, Tom spent 10 years as a board member and over 12 years as Executive Director of the AAMI. His dedication to the Museum has never wavered, and he remains an active supporter of the Museum, currently serving on the Voices Inspiring Progress Capital Campaign Steering Committee. Without a doubt, the AAMI would not exist as it does today without Tom Moore.

Tom served on the board of the Iowa Museum Association for three two-year terms from 2005-2010. He actively collaborated with other museums and arts/culture leaders to both seek and provide advice. Though he didn’t consider himself a “museum person” when he began his work with the AAMI, he grew into a trusted and well-respected figure in the field. As Executive Director of the AAMI, Tom was very supportive of hiring recent graduates, former AAMI interns, and young professionals. He helped launch and support the careers of many individuals that continue to work in the museum and nonprofit industry. Tom also regularly and actively engaged with other local museum leaders that served as sounding boards and examples of best practices for one another. This engagement often led to collaborative initiatives and opened the door to existing programs like historic walking tours, combined field trips, and additional opportunities that helped to increase the perceived value of arts and culture locally. He demonstrated that passion for the organization, mission, and the field were equally important to success as previous experience.

Thomas Moore will receive the 2022 Iowa Museum Association Leadership Award during a luncheon at the African American Museum of Iowa on September 8, 2022, with Dr. Heidi Lung, Iowa Museum Association presenting.  He will also be recognized during the October 3-4, 2022 Iowa Museum Association conference, which will be held virtually.  For more information, https://www.iowamuseums.org .

Cynthia Sweet, Executive Director of the Iowa Museum Association, said, “Tom Moore demonstrated visionary leadership in helping to create, and then leading, the African American Museum of Iowa for twelve years.  Coming to the museum field as a second career, he embraced museum work and dedicated his time and resources to implementing the promise of the AAMI, sharing African American history, and partnering and supporting the Iowa museum community for decades. His inclination toward partnership and collaboration lifted up both individuals and other nonprofits and museums.  Tom Moore has truly been a visionary leader in the Iowa museum field.”

Additional recognitions during the conference will be:
•    The Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association Hall of Fame & Museum, celebrating their 25th anniversary
•    Iowa Heartland History Connection, celebrating rebranding in 2022.
•    Earthmoving Legacy Center, celebrating establishment in 2021.
•    Law Museum of Iowa, celebrating establishment in 2022.
•    Janet Mootz and Bryce Moyer, Hoyt Sherman Place, celebrating bronze and silver certificates for standards met in Module 1, Mission Vision Governance, STEPS IMA.
•    The Annals of Iowa, recipient of the 2022 AASLH Award of Excellence
•    The State Historical Society of Iowa, recipient of the 2022 AASLH Award of Excellence
•    Outgoing IMA Board members: Eric Anderson, Elizabeth Andrews, Billie Bailey, Jennifer Cooley, Heidi Lung, Wendy Scardino, and Casie Vance.

For more information, visit IowaMuseums.org or IMAonlineLearning.com

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The mission of the Iowa Museum Association is to work in the interests of Iowa museums to build organizational capacity, advocate to heighten awareness of the field, and foster community.
 Iowa’s museums include art centers and art museums, botanical gardens, children's museums, historic sites, history museums, historical societies, living history sites, nature centers, natural history museums, planetariums, science and technology centers, and zoos.