LOS ANGELES (August 6, 2012) – The Petersen Automotive Museum Chairman of the Board Steven E. Young announced today that Terry L. Karges has been appointed Executive Director of the Museum. Karges will succeed Buddy Pepp beginning August 15, who is retiring following a successful two-year run as Executive Director where he made significant contributions to the long-term stability and prosperity of the Museum. Karges brings four decades of automotive, entertainment and motorsports management experience to the Petersen Automotive Museum. He is known as an innovative leader with a keen ability to merge cutting-edge marketing tactics.
“Terry is a very well qualified businessman with a strong management background that the Board of Directors feels will do a terrific job as the Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director,” said Young. “In addition to being a Southern California native familiar with our unique car culture, Terry also has valuable experience leading sales and marketing operations for major California theme parks, which makes him the best candidate to lead the Museum in unique and exciting ways.”
The Board acknowledges that Buddy Pepp will be a hard act to follow and his infectious enthusiasm for the Petersen Automotive Museum will be sorely missed by all that had the opportunity to work with him. “Buddy committed his heart and soul to the well-being of the Museum and we can’t thank him enough for his work and achievements on behalf of the institution that we all love so much,” said Young.
Karges will be leaving his role as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Venchurs Inc., a Michigan based OEM supplier. As the former Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Roush Performance, Karges helped grow the company into the largest specialty high performance car brand in the world. As owner of Karges Sport, he was involved in motorsports marketing and ran his own team. Karges also previously held marketing management positions at Disneyland, SeaWorld and Marine World.
“As a lifelong automotive design enthusiast and someone who spent his formative years at tracks like Riverside and Laguna Seca, the opportunity to take the reins at The Petersen – arguably one of the premier automotive museums in the world – is a humbling and thrilling prospect,” Karges said. “I look forward to working with the Museum’s incredibly talented staff of curators, historians and restoration experts, as well as with the knowledgeable and enthusiastic Board, to come up with innovative and interactive ways to share Robert E. Petersen’s legacy and world’s love affair with the automobile.”
Karges will begin representing the Petersen Automotive Museum during Monterey, Calif. auto week in August.
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, California 90036. Admission prices are $12 for general admission adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for students with ID, $3 for children ages 5 to 12. Museum members, active military with ID and children under five are admitted free. Parking is free for the first 30 minutes and $2.00 each additional 30 minutes. One hour validation with purchase of $10 or more in the Museum Store or Johnny Rockets located in the museum lobby. Museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Closed Mondays except holidays. For general Museum information, call 323/930-CARS or visit the Museum’s Web site at: www.petersen.org.
