Hometown Military News for Nov. 18, 2016:
New Military Museum Director aims for growth
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois National Guard celebrates a rich history that spans more than 290 years and that history is housed and presented to the public free of charge in a century-old limestone building nicknamed “The Castle” situated just north of the Illinois National Guard’s headquarters, Camp Lincoln, in Springfield.
In the modest space within the walls of the castle, the Illinois State Military Museum rotates exhibits that tell the story of the Soldiers and Airmen of Illinois.
Telling the storied history of the Illinois Guard takes dedicated people, people who have a love for history, and a love for the story of the Illinois Guard. Recently, the state hired a new director for the museum, a Chesnut native who served more than 30 years in the Illinois Army National Guard, Col. (ret.) Paul Fanning. He has no academic background in history, but he does have a love for the organization that he said gave him more opportunities to do great things than anywhere else. He also possesses something else: an expert ability to manage.
Whether it was implementing processes as the Director of Information Management, fostering a stronger partnership with Poland as the Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, implementing readiness workshops as the Military Personnel Officer that resulted in a 110 percent strength rating for the ILARNG, or leading the 129th Regional Training Institute to achieve Institution of Excellence ratings across all of its Army Training and Doctrine courses, Fanning has effected organizational change. Now, as the director of the Illinois State Military Museum, he’s looking to do the same.
Where does all of this management and leadership fit in at the museum? Growth.
“I’m here to manage the museum and its operations,” said Fanning. “I have a curator, Bill Lear, who manages the history aspect and the displays. My job is to bring organization to that and help the museum grow.”
With all of his organizational knowledge and propensity for process improvement, Fanning sees things a little differently than most. He said he sees the museum and its staff as a unit that has the same basic organizational needs.
“I look to see how we do business and I take that business and look to see how we can improve upon that,” said Fanning. “We need to shape the exhibits, expand and grow our events. I kind of see the museum as a unit, and I think we need to develop and grow in that manner.”
Fanning’s new position is a state position under the Illinois Department of Military Affairs and retired colonel James Smith, the department’s Chief of Staff, has worked with Fanning since he was a captain and said there couldn’t be a better position for a retired servicemember like Fanning.
“Paul is passionate and dedicated and has an absolute love for the Illinois Guard and its soldiers,” said Smith. “He comes to work every day for the Soldiers and the Guard, regardless of his rank, everything he does is to make us better.”
Smith says the museum is a team, a team full of volunteers as well as paid employees and Fanning is the right person to lead that team.
“Regardless of where they come from or whether or not they’re paid employees or volunteers, the team at the museum has the singular goal of telling the Guard’s story,” said Smith. “A former colonel and an individual that’s spent more than 30 years serving this organization is the best person to tell our story and look both back and forward as history is supposed to do.”
Smith also said Fanning brings a new relevancy to the museum with his recent retirement from the Illinois Army National Guard. He said Fanning can talk directly to the current directors, the lieutenant colonels and colonels, and have meaningful conversations about not only the future of the museum, but how the decisions of the organization can impact the museum’s future.
Fanning says he sees a lot of potential for growth in the museum’s future.
“We’re going to start expanding our outreach program to bring more visitors to the museum,” said Fanning. “Our living history volunteers are a huge part of the museum and its potential for growth. We’re going to work with county history museums and local organizations and coordinate some of our events, and we’ll send our historians out to tell more people about what we have at the museum.”
Fanning said he is also working with officials and the organization to expand and possibly add space for more exhibits.
“Right now there’s a limited current history being displayed at the museum due to space,” said Fanning. “If we can get some space, not by adding to the current building, but by expanding, we can bring that history to the forefront. We can display more of the Operation Enduring Freedom history and our partnership with Poland and we can minimize exhibit turnover and bring some more relevant history to the public.”
Fanning said he is excited about his new position and is looking forward to the future.
“I look forward to this,” said Fanning. “I’m excited, I see it as a great opportunity to continue to serve and help our museum grow.”
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