The USS Silversides Submarine Museum and its Board of Directors recently announced that Bethann Egan has been selected as the new executive director, according to Board Chair Holly Hughes.
Egan will maintain the daily operations of the Museum, as well as oversee its operating budget. Additionally, she will serve as a liaison between the Museum, its staff, and the Board of Directors in developing future goals and initiatives.
“Egan was the museum’s top choice out of a field of over 80 candidates who were reviewed with the help of HR Collaborative in Grand Rapids,” Hughes says. “She has the experience and skills to take the Museum to the next level and has already hit the ground running. Her experience as a military spouse brings a personal connection to those we are dedicated to honoring. The board is very excited to help her carry out our mission of honoring and preserving the history of our American and hometown heroes.”
From 2014 to 2022, Egan served as the Executive Director of In The Image, a Grand Rapids nonprofit organization operating a storefront where those in need can shop for free, where she was responsible for developing and implementing a 10-year plan for the organization. She also acted as In The Image’s spokesperson, delivering keynote speeches, conducting interviews, and making other public appearances to create and develop relationships with community partners and media relations to support the organization. This resulted in a $1.1 million capital improvements initiative while at the same time relocating the organization from its Division Ave. location to a new building on Kalamazoo Ave. during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Egan looks forward to implementing the skills she’s developed leading nonprofits with the team at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum. “It is an honor to step into this role and help guide the museum, the dedicated staff, passionate volunteers, and board members,” she says. “I look forward to using my skills as a nonprofit leader and my desire to help educate others about our military and those who have served. I fondly look back on a night spent on the USS Silversides and am excited to see our future leaders take a turn on an overnight in the sub.”
Egan was first introduced to the West Michigan area through the Boy Scouts of America, Owasippe Scout Reservation, and went on to attend Grand Valley State University. She has worked in nonprofit management since 2009.
For more information about the USS Silversides Submarine Museum, visit their website at silversidesmuseum.org.
