Friends,
I am profoundly grateful for the support you have provided for the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. It has been my great honor to serve as the NVMM’s Founding President and CEO since its opening in 2018, so I wanted you to be among the first to know that I am announcing my retirement, effective May 15, 2024.
The news release below will be shared with the media later today. It was important to me to personally reach out to you with this news. I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished over these first five years, and I know the future is bright for this place of honor.
With sincere gratitude,
LT. GENERAL MICHAEL FERRITER, U.S. ARMY (RETIRED)
President & CEO
News Release
Lt. General Michael Ferriter, U.S. Army (Retired), president and CEO of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM) has announced his retirement from the NVMM. He will step down from his post on May 15, 2024.
A 35-year U.S. Army Veteran, Ferriter was hired by the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation as the NVMM’s founding president and CEO in June 2018. “It has been my honor and privilege to stand up a national museum devoted to sharing the Veteran story and lead an elite team of individuals who impact lives every day,” said Lt. General Ferriter. “I am thankful to the amazing NVMM staff for their professionalism and dedication and to the boards for their counsel over the years. I am confident they will chart a path that builds on our successes.”
“On behalf of the Foundation and Operating Boards, we thank Lt. General Ferriter for his loyal and dedicated service to the NVMM,” said Lewis “Lou” Von Thaer, NVMM Board Chair and Battelle president and CEO. “He has served with trust and honor, always keeping service to our Veterans at the top of our priorities.” The board will conduct a national search for Ferriter’s successor.
Lt. General Ferriter led the museum through a nationally heralded grand opening in October 2018, and through crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. When 85 percent of the country’s museums closed, he led the NVMM through a pivot to online experiences keeping NVMM audiences connected and museum staff employed. During Ferriter’s tenure at the NVMM, the museum has hosted 14 exhibitions to-date, educated student and youth groups, implemented resilience and wellness programming and shared Veteran stories and American history with thousands of guests both in the museum and online.
Lt. General Ferriter currently holds board seats with Experience Columbus and the Patriot Art Foundation. He was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 2021. This month he was honored as a Distinguished Alumni of the Citadel. Ferriter is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, family and grandchildren after more than 40 years of service to his country and fellow Veterans and their families.
