Hancock Historical Museum announces leadership transition

The Hancock Historical Museum's board of trustees has announced that Sarah Sisser will step down as executive director, effective Sunday as she begins her new position as executive director and CEO of CreativeOhio (CO). "We applaud Sarah for her leadership these past several years and thank her for her contributions, which have helped shape the Museum as we know it today. We are well-poised to attract an energetic successor who can continue to build on this success," said Susan Harms, museum board president in a prepared statement. CO is a membership-based organization that works together to advance investment in creatives and creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship throughout Ohio. It is the only statewide advocacy organization for creatives, both non- and for-profit. CO's mission is to enrich our communities, citizens and culture through constant advocacy and relentless support of Ohio creatives and the creative economy. The CO board of directors announced Sisser's appointment following a national search. The board's vote to hire her was unanimous. "We are delighted Sarah will take the leadership helm of CreativeOhio and apply her many talents and expertise to our work," said Elizabeth Brown-Ellis, president of the board. "She is uniquely qualified to execute our strategic plan, build organizational capacity, leverage our rebranding efforts to expand our membership, and create and sustain our local, regional, and national alliances and networks, all of which are needed to advance CO's advocacy work on behalf of Ohio's creative sector." Sisser has served as executive director of the historical museum since 2013. During her tenure, the museum has seen exponential growth in attendance and revenue, while cultivating collaborative relationships at the state and local level. The privately-funded historical museum maintains nine buildings and programming that reaches more than 25,000 people annually, including more than 4,000 Hancock County schoolchildren. Personal and organizational recognition for Sisser's work and accomplishments include the Scenic Ohio Award, Ohio Museums Association Emerging Professional of the Year, Greater Toledo 20 Under 40 Award, Ohio State Historic Preservation Office's Public Education and Awareness Award, and the Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Hospitality Award. "It has been a privilege to lead our museum through an era of transformative change and growth," said Sisser. "It is a true gift to be able to do something you love each day with people you enjoy and respect. With the efforts and expertise of a dedicated staff and Board of Trustees, coupled with tremendous community support, the Museum has become a much-beloved local resource and one of the most comprehensive and well-respected institutions of its kind in the state." The museum's board of trustees has begun a comprehensive search for the organization's next executive director. Sisser's leadership experiences also include serving on the board of Ohio Humanities (the state-based partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities) which she chairs. Her community leadership has included serving on the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction, & Mental Health Services, the Findlay-Hancock County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and serving as President of the Findlay Rotary Club. She earned a bachelor's degree of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation at the Savannah College of Art & Design, and a master of Community Planning degree from the College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn University.