CEO Corner
Updates from Jonathan Williams
Jonathan Williams is the President & CEO of the Pacific Battleship Center, home of the Battleship IOWA, LA Fleet Week, and the National Museum of the Surface Navy. A purpose-driven leader and storyteller, he shares updates and insights from one of the nation’s most innovative nonprofit organizations. His writing explores leadership, community, and culture — connecting lessons from the deck plate to the boardroom while highlighting the people, progress, and purpose that continue to drive the mission forward.
Newest Updates
Museum Update 7 September 2022
Dave Badgett & Kent Coble: Fire Chiefs Remember 9/11 Twenty-One Years Later
Battleship IOWA volunteers Dave Badgett and Kent Coble are retired fire chiefs - Dave finished his career as an assistant chief in charge of training with LA City Fire Department, Kent as a battalion/division chief for Santa Monica Fire Department.Dave was also a task force leader for LA City Fire's FEMA Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team. On 9/11/01 he got the call to deploy even before the second plane hit the south tower of the World Trade Center and was on scene in New York hours after...
CEO Update 31 August 2022
VJ Alcomindras: From Tour Guide in Oahu to Guest Services Manager in LA
VJ Alcomindras is a battleship kid. He's been working on Iowa Class BBs since he was 16. He started as the youngest tour guide ever hired (at that point) by our sister ship, USS Missouri, joined Battleship IOWA in 2015, and was recently promoted to Guest Services Manager.In this podcast we get to know him - from growing up on Oahu to college in California - and learn how he's turned a part-time job that appealed to the WWII history-lover in him into a permanent career he loves.We also get a...
Museum Update 24 August 2022
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach: A Visit With Lt. Adam Tellez and MNC Brian Chickering From The Mine Shop
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach lies on the Southern California coast between Long Beach and Huntington Beach. Dating back to 1944, this 5,000 acre complex features 230 buildings, 128 ammunition depots, a wharf for loading and off-loading ships, a 900 acre salt marsh wildlife refuge, and all sorts of things that go 'boom!' In this podcast we get an insider's glimpse into the only full-service weapons station on the west coast from Lt. Adam Tellez and MNC (Mineman Chief) Brian Chickering. And...
CEO Update 17 August 2022
Carl Herzog: Public Historian for USS CONSTITUTION Museum
With the 210th anniversary of the infamous battle between the US Navy's venerable grande dame, USS CONSTITUTION, and HMS GUERRIERE coming up on August 19, we thought it would be fun to have a conversation with Dr. Carl Herzog, public historian for USS CONSTITUTION Museum. We chatted about everything from bottom copper and cathodic protection to what constitutes "original" in ships that have led multiple service lives to the thing that hasn't changed in hundreds of years of naval history: for...
Museum Update 11 August 2022
Tales From The Ghost Fleet And Other Memories Part III
In the final installment of our series from our 10th anniversary panel, our team discusses how the state of Iowa came through with some critical funding just in time, how our transition to become the National Museum of the Surface Navy came about, and takes a few questions from the audience.Questions? Comments? Email podcast@labattleship.comOnce again, we apologize for the quality of the audio. We ran into some technical challenges recording on our fantail. * * * *Want to- Support the ship?...
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