CONTACT: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Brian Walker bwalker@intrepidmuseum.org

NEW YORK, NY (February 12, 2019) – The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum announced today the newest members of its board of trustees: Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Joseph Plumeri, vice chairman of the First Data board of directors and former chairman & CEO of Willis Group. Newmark has been a significant supporter of the Museum since 2011; Plumeri returns to the board after serving from 2008 to 2015.

“Co-Chairman Bruce Mosler and I are pleased to welcome the unique talent and expertise of Craig and Joe to our board of trustees,” said Ken Fisher, co-chairman of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. “Both have demonstrated their strong commitment to furthering the Intrepid Museum and its mission.”

“Craig and Joe both possess an outstanding breadth of experience and leadership, and they will bring important new dimensions to our board,” said Susan Marenoff-Zausner, president of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. “I look forward to working with them in the coming years to help us in our efforts to expand the Museum’s outreach, audience and engagement.”

A premier cultural and educational institution located in the heart of New York City, the Intrepid Museum welcomes over one million visitors per year. The Museum provides STEAM-based education to more than 40,000 New York City students annually, as well as professional development for teachers, online distance learning, and accessible and inclusive programs and resources for veterans and visitors of all ages and abilities. Through exhibitions, events and programs offered year-round, visitors are taken on an interactive journey through history to learn about American innovation and bravery.
"The Intrepid Museum reminds us that our country still owes a lot to active service members, veterans and their families, and it reminds us that we need to repay that debt," said Newmark. “I am proud to be joining the board of this New York City institution, which is doing a major service to our country.”

“I am thrilled to be rejoining the board of the Intrepid Museum,” said Plumeri. “The institution offers important programs that impact so many, and I am looking forward to playing a key role in helping to guide its future.”

Craig Newmark is a Web pioneer, philanthropist, and leading advocate. Most commonly known for founding the online classified ads service craigslist, Newmark works to support and connect people and drive broad civic engagement.

In 1995, Newmark started curating a list of San Francisco arts and technology events, which he personally emailed to friends and colleagues. People were soon calling it "Craig's List," and when Newmark turned it into a company, he monetized it minimally, opting for a business model that prioritized "doing well by doing good." Today, more than 5 billion ads have been posted on the site, the vast majority for free. Newmark has not been involved in the day-to-day management of the company since 2000.

In 2016, Newmark founded Craig Newmark Philanthropies to advance people and grassroots organizations that are “getting stuff done” in areas that include trustworthy journalism, voter protection, women in technology, and veterans and military families. At its core, all of Newmark’s philanthropic work helps to strengthen American democracy by supporting the values that the country aspires to – fairness, opportunity, and respect. Newmark serves on the board of directors of a number of organizations, including Blue Star Families, the Center for Public Integrity, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, Girls Who Code, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American, Poynter Foundation, Sunlight Foundation, VetsinTech, and Women in Public Service Project. He also serves on the board of overseers of the Columbia Journalism Review and on the advisory board of nearly twenty other nonprofit organizations, including DonorsChoose.org, EFF, New America Foundation, Voto Latino, Wikimedia Foundation, and Women Who Tech.

Born in Morristown, New Jersey, Newmark earned degrees in computer science from Case Western Reserve University. He lives in San Francisco and New York City but travels the country speaking about the initiatives he supports.

Joe Plumeri
Joe Plumeri, vice chairman of the First Data board of directors, was originally appointed to the Board and as a senior advisor to KKR in August 2013. Since joining First Data, Plumeri has played a pivotal role in the company’s transformation from a transaction processor to a payments technology company and solutions provider to merchants and financial institutions, and spearheaded company-wide efforts to become more client-centric.

Prior to joining First Data, Plumeri served as chairman and chief executive officer of Willis Group Holdings plc. When he assumed leadership of Willis, the company’s share price was $3, rising to $43 when he stepped down as chairman in 2013. He also spearheaded Willis’ $2.1 billion acquisition of Hilb Rogal & Hobbs (HRH) in 2009, which was one of the largest transactions in the insurance industry in the last decade, and drove the deal to rename the Sears Tower as Willis Tower, then the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Before joining Willis, Plumeri had a 32-year career at Citigroup and its predecessor companies. He also served as chairman and CEO of Travelers Primerica Financial Services, vice chairman of the Travelers Group, and president and managing partner of Shearson Lehman Brothers.

A widely admired leader in the insurance industry, Plumeri was named to Treasury & Risk magazine's list of "100 Most Influential People in Finance" in 2009 and 2010.

Plumeri’s generous philanthropy over the decades has drawn many accolades, including appointment as the Grand Marshal of the 2011 Columbus Day Parade by the Columbus Citizen’s Foundation. He serves on the boards of Mount Sinai Medical Center, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and the Churchill Museum at the Cabinet Ward Rooms in London. He is the former executive chair of the Center on Addiction.

An avid sportsman and baseball entrepreneur, Plumeri is an owner of the Trenton Thunder, the AA-affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Born in Trenton, New Jersey, Plumeri received his Bachelor of Arts in history and education from the College of William and Mary and attended New York Law School. In 2011, William and Mary awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service in honor of his philanthropic endeavors, where Plumeri delivered a speech to the 2011 graduates, titled "Go Play in Traffic (and Follow the Signs Along the Road)," that was recognized as one of the best commencement addresses of the year by the New York Times.


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About the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a non-profit, educational institution featuring the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world’s fastest jets and a guided missile submarine. Through exhibitions, educational programming and the foremost collection of technologically groundbreaking aircraft and vessels, visitors of all ages and abilities are taken on an interactive journey through history to learn about American innovation and bravery.

The Intrepid Museum fulfills its mission to honor our heroes, educate the public and inspire our youth by connecting them to history through hands-on exploration while bridging the future by inspiring innovation.

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