06/03/2026 – A Message from our CEO, Scot Laney
June marks the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Museum. Much has happened since that day. Over the years, the Museum has navigated changes in leadership, landlords (including two that went bankrupt, resulting in the lingering misperception that our organization did too), and other challenging circumstances while continuing to serve our community and advance our mission. Through it all, one thing remained constant: the dedication of the volunteers, staff, members, and supporters who believed in what this museum could become.
Even during periods of uncertainty, the museum continued to educate, inspire, and preserve the remarkable stories of aviation and space exploration. That resilience laid the foundation for the opportunities we enjoy today.
A new chapter began in 2020 when the museum buildings were acquired by the Stoller Group. Bill Stoller is well known to many of us and has long recognized the tremendous potential of this institution. In many ways, his vision for the museum’s future was one of the reasons I was first interested in joining the Board of Directors and, later, returning from retirement to serve as CEO. Bill understood that with stability, investment, and a clear sense of purpose, the museum could reach new heights.
Fast forward to today and we find ourselves looking ahead to the next twenty-five years and how best to take every advantage of the opportunities we now have.
Your staff is intensely focused on that very question. Simply put we will ratchet up this museum from better than most (where we are today) to one of the best in the world.
Why not?
We have the collection of aircraft and spacecraft that puts us among the best. We have the advantage of being nimble, we don’t take ourselves too seriously (if we did, that would lead to bureaucracy), and we have the best members and volunteers anywhere. Plus, we have one secret weapon; our location. We are in the heart of Oregon’s wine country but still in a slightly obscure part of the world. That allows us to meet our goals and none of the big guys in the aerospace museum world will ever see us coming.
But how will we know if we are successful?
We will measure our success in a simple (some people will say too simple) way:
We will be successful in achieving our goals if everything we do greatly benefits our members, our guests, and our mission.
Please say hello when you visit. I always enjoy meeting our members.
Scot
