PRESS RELEASE: For immediate publication Contact: Peter Mallary, 1st Vice President VHS board (802) 429-2282, (802) 222-5152, or 222-9690 December 13, 1995 New Historical Society Director Chosen Montpelier -- The trustees of the Vermont Historical Society are pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Gainor Davis as the new Director of the Vermont Historical Society. Davis, who was chosen from a field of more than one hundred candidates, comes to the Society from her present post as Executive Director of Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans. Vermont Historical Society President Dodie Mitchell, clearly excited about the choice, pointed out that Davis brings the Society impressive credentials in both scholarship and development, mostly acquired while working in and around her native Philadelphia. Davis has worked for the Winterthur Museum in Delaware, the University of Pennsylvania, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, The Strong Museum in Rochester, New York, and as Director of Development and Alumni Affairs at Temple University in Philadelphia. "Gainor Davis has the experience, strengths, and enthusiasm to lead the Vermont Historical Society to a new level of success," said Mitchell. "Her strong development skills, as well as her desire to engage the people of Vermont in their own history are just what we need." While Mitchell spoke warmly of the Society's accomplishments in scholarship during the past decade, she also stressed the importance of building the financial and membership base of the Society in the future. "The Vermont Historical Society must become an organization capable of moving quickly into the twenty-first century fiscally sound and strategically responsive to the world around it," Mitchell said. "I believe that Gainor Davis is the ideal person to spread the news about the Society throughout Vermont. That's the development aspect of the job. In addition Gainor is a fine scholar and museum professional." Davis has a Master's degree in American History and a certificate in Museum Studies, both from the University of Delaware. She is a Doctoral candidate in American History at Temple University. She is expected to be on the job at the Society's headquarters in Montpelier by the beginning of February. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Paul A. Carnahan, Librarian Vermont Historical Society 109 State Street Montpelier, Vermont 05609-0901 Voice: 802-828-2291 Fax: 802-828-3638 [log in to unmask] alternative: [log in to unmask] +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++