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Press Release
Press Release · Monday, August 12, 2002

Press Release
August 12, 2002
Foundation for the National Archives Appoints Chief Administrative Officer

Washington, DC. . .The Foundation for the National Archives has announced the appointment of Thora Colot as its Chief Administrative Officer. The Board's decision to hire its first director demonstrates its commitment to support the National Archives new public initiative, the National Archives Experience. In this newly created position, Ms. Colot will oversee the entire Foundation operation and will represent the Board of Directors in daily activities. She will also provide ongoing support to the educational and outreach programs of the National Archives and will manage all business and financial affairs of the National Archives Experience, a new museum and learning complex that will open in 2004 at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.

In making the announcement, Charles Guggenheim, President of the Foundation for the National Archives said, "We are delighted that Thora has agreed to join the Foundation. She brings more than 25 years of experience in working with major cultural institutions in the fields of publications and programming, marketing and business activities. Her expertise will be an enormous asset as the Foundation assists the National Archives in launching its major new outreach initiative: 'The National Archives Experience.'"

Most recently, Ms. Colot was Director of Marketing and Business Activities at the Phillips Collection. During her six-year tenure there, she supervised and managed the public relations, advertising and marketing staff, as well as all business activities. She was responsible for product development and licensing and special programming and was the museum producer for the hour-long documentary "Renoir to Rothko" and the exhibition film for "Jacob Lawrence". Ms. Colot also launched the marketing, advertising and public relations campaigns, as well as the product development programs for major exhibitions at the Phillips, such as "Impressionists in Winter", "Georgia O'Keefe: the Poetry of Things", and "Renoir to Rothko: The Eye of Duncan Phillips".

Ms. Colot held various positions at the Smithsonian Institution for more than 25 years, beginning as a weekend manager and sales associate at the Smithsonian Museum shops in 1975. During her tenure there, she held several positions and assumed increasing responsibility. In 1991, she was appointed as Assistant Director for Store Planning, Marketing and Visual Merchandising, a position she held until 1996, when she left to become the Director of Retail Operations at the Phillips Collections.

Ms. Colot earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Design and Studio Arts from the University of Virginia and a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies from the George Washington University.

For PRESS information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (301) 837-1700 or by e-mail.

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