Museum officially hires Business Manager

Heritage

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Museum Curator, Barbara Ribey (L) and Business Manager, Cathy McGirr.

Although Cathy McGirr of Southampton has been filling the position of Business Manager and Income Development at the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre in a contract capacity, she was officially hired on Thursday, May 7th.

Curator Barbara Ribey went before County Council in Walkerton as part of the Museum Committee to describe the role that McGirr would fill. "With Cathy in this position, it will mean that I can sit on more committees throughout Ontario as they relate to Museums. She is also in the midst of setting goals and objectives for staff that will only improve our development even further."

County Council agreed that it would be "good for the Museum" and the position was officially approved.

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18/05/2009 03:12 PM

McGirr comes to the position with a wealth of knowledge in the area of business administration. She was employed with a German-based software company for 10 years where she travelled extensively thoughout Asia, Europe, Australia and North America setting up business units. For three years, she was also in Calgary where she started and headed up the company's business operation for Canada and also met her husband, Ross Sedor.

When the couple returned to Ontario (Oakville) and had their two sons, they decided that they did not want to raise them in an urban environment. Ross had vacationed in the Southampton area since childhood and the family decided that this was where they wanted their children to grow up.

"We often go back to the city to see family," says Cathy McGirr, "but we wouldn't live there again." Ross now has his own business, 'Ross's Renovations' where he works primarily with tiling.

McGirr's plate will be full as she takes over the position of Business Manager. She will oversee income development, marketing programming, the gift shop, grants, day-to-day maintenance projects and sponsorship networking.

"Museums today have to be creative in their sponsorship program," McGirr poiints out. "Part of it is to liaise with businesses to make sure that there is relevance and value to both the Museum and communities in building partnerships. We had 32 sponsors last year and approximately 20 of those were new. I think we have an exciting year ahead and I'm looking forward to it."