Minnetrista is excited to announce Brian Statz
as President & CEO!

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Statz as our new President & CEO. Chosen after a nationwide search, Statz will assume his new role on January 3, 2023. He will take over from current President & CEO, Betty Brewer, who will retire at the end of 2022 after more than seventeen years of service. 

Statz served as Vice President of Operations at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for more than a decade, a position he took after four years as the museum’s General Counsel. As VP of Operations, Statz oversaw approximately 100 staff and was in charge of visitor relations, facilities, construction projects and security. He played a key role in the development of the high-profile Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience, a $38.5M project which opened in 2018.

Steve Smith, chair of the Minnetrista Board of Trustees and also chair of the Search Committee, said,

“The Search Committee was impressed with the broad set of executive leadership skills that Brian brings to the table and his lengthy record of serving at a successful and larger museum. He has managed staff, represented the museum in the community, coordinated master planning processes, and participated actively in experience development and budget planning. Add to that his legal training, and Brian is well-positioned to guide Minnetrista through its next chapter.”

Statz was selected after a national search and unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees. Statz is eager to begin his new job. “I am honored to have been selected as Minnetrista’s next President & CEO,” said Statz. “Minnetrista is an amazing site, embedded in the community and creating national-caliber programs and experiences. I look forward to working with its dedicated Board of Trustees and its talented staff to build upon the great work already being

Statz joins us at a time of tremendous growth and opportunity. Memberships and visitation are at an all-time high, and the opening of the Bob Ross Experience has cemented us as a tourist attraction for the East Central Indiana region. In the summer of 2023, we will host the touring world premiere of the Smithsonian Institution’s blockbuster exhibit, Girlhood (It’s Complicated).