In a brief ceremony today at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Assemblymember John Laird was given the 2006 President’s Award from the California Association of Museums for his support of the state’s museums and cultural institutions. Laird was chosen to receive the President’s Award in part because he introduced a resolution last February naming 2006 the Year of the California Museum. The California Legislature passed the bill and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed it, thus declaring 2006 as the Year of the California Museum. The resolution may be viewed at http://www.calmuseums.org/museum_month/ACR_119.pdf. CAM Board Members Beverly Smith, Vice President of Historical Services of Wells Fargo Bank, and David Dial, Vice President for Operations at the Computer History Museum, were in attendance to present the award as well as Julie Packard, Executive Director and Vice Chairman of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and CAM Executive Director Celeste DeWald.
Recipients of the California Association of Museums’ President’s Award are elected officials in California state government who have shown support of California museums, demonstrated a continuing commitment to museums in California, and shown publicly their support of museums in their local district. “We are pleased to recognize Assemblymember Laird for his support of the state’s museums and the cultural institutions in his district,” stated Richard Block, President of the California Association of Museums and CEO of the Santa Barbara Zoo. “His efforts have helped emphasize the vital role museums play in California as partners in education and lifelong learning, preservation, tourism, community building.”
Pictured left: David Dial and Beverly Smith, CAM Board Members; Assemblymember John Laird; and Julie Packard, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium.
