Stephen C. White, the former headmaster of the Fay School in Southborough, MA, has been named president and chief executive officer of Mystic Seaport.
White will assume his position January 15, 2009. Retired Coast Guard Rear Admiral Doug Teeson, the Museum’s current president and CEO, who earlier this year announced his plans to retire, will remain in his position until that time.
“It was important to find a successor capable of building on Doug’s many achievements,” said Richard Vietor, chairman of the Museum’s board of trustees. “We’ve found that person in Steve White – an experienced educator, successful fundraiser and someone with a deep passion for sailing and for Mystic Seaport.”
“What inspires me about Mystic Seaport is the pervasive sense of a clear mission – connecting Americans with the sea – and how palpable it is in everything the Museum does,” said White. “This is not just a challenging time; it’s an inspiring time. History is such a central part of our national fabric, and I am thrilled to be in an environment that is as rich and rewarding as Mystic Seaport.”
White served 18 years as headmaster of Fay School, the country’s oldest junior boarding school, founded in 1866. Fay School now educates an international student body in grades 6-9 as boarding students and day students in grades 1-9.
During White’s tenure, Fay School established a dynamic strategic plan and a comprehensive master plan for future campus development. Under his leadership, the School dramatically increased its endowment and, most recently, he also completed a $20 million campaign designed to support key elements of the strategic plan, including compensation, scholarships, program development and campus expansion.
The year following White’s arrival at Fay in 1990, the School was honored with the Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education. The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools for demonstrating academic superiority or for dramatic gains in student achievement to high levels.
Throughout White’s tenure at Fay, the School opened a new performing arts center, a math and science wing, a new gymnasium and a learning center to enhance students’ educational environments.
“Steve has addressed and accomplished many of the same issues currently facing Mystic Seaport,” Vietor said. “And, as the Museum works to add value to visiting families and expand educational offerings throughout the year, Steve’s experience is well-suited to help us accomplish those goals."
Teeson, who has led the nation’s premier maritime museum for the past seven years, is confident the Museum will continue to evolve and adapt as it moves into its eightieth year.
“I have great confidence in Steve’s ability to steer the next leg of the race,” Teeson said. “With great generosity from trustees and other donors, we’ve ensured that our collections, including the national historic landmark vessels, will be here for future generations to experience. And we have ambitious plans to lift the Museum to much higher levels of educational and cultural achievement, on a year-round basis. I eagerly look forward to introducing Steve to Mystic Seaport’s many constituencies.”
A native of Camden, ME, White has long enjoyed a connection to the sea, sailing with his grandfather and father in wooden boats. He found his call to education through the sea as well, having spent summers as a director of junior sailing programs at Camden Yacht Club and Ft. Worth Boat Club.
Before beginning his teaching career, White made two trans-Atlantic crossings on a sloop from Connecticut.
“Mystic Seaport provides more than a career challenge,” White said. “It gives me an opportunity to return to my roots. And, more importantly, to tell stories. As an educator, I cherish the opportunity to tell stories. And there is no better place to tell maritime stories than Mystic Seaport.”
White’s involvement with multiple non-profit organizations includes serving as director of the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of MetroWest, as well as serving as a trustee for both Berwick Academy in South Berwick, ME, and at Hillside School in Marlborough, MA.
As a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE), White has invested time and effort to the advancement of independent school groups which provide meaningful experiences for children. With a B.A. in English and Education from Hartwick College, White has additionally completed coursework at Columbia University/Teachers College through a Klingenstein Fellowship.
White presently resides on Cape Cod with his wife, Maggie.