Geoffrey Platt to Retire as Boscobel's Executive Director

Geoffrey Platt Jr., executive director of Boscobel House and Gardens since 2006, has announced his intention to retire from employment at Boscobel as of January 1, 2011, a few weeks short of his 70th birthday. He will remain full-time executive director until April 1 of this year, and then serve Boscobel for the remainder of the year, actively concentrating on development and special events.

"Geoff Platt has served Boscobel with great distinction and we appreciate his willingness to arrange the transition in such a way that we can continue to benefit from his expertise and at the same time conduct a search for a new director," stated Barnabas McHenry, President of the Board of Directors of Boscobel Restoration, Inc. "He has brought Boscobel to a whole new level, with a vitality of programming and closer connections to the community, including garnering public support," McHenry continued. "Among his many achievements, and particularly notable, was the establishment of an Exhibition Gallery with a program of art exhibits that have garnered great critical and popular acclaim, locally, regionally, and nationally," McHenry added.

Geoffrey Platt has had a career in cultural and nonprofit administration spanning over 40 years. He came to Boscobel after 14 years as executive director of Maymont, the museum and park complex in Richmond, VA. He lived in the Washington, D.C., area before Richmond, where he held a number of posts, including director of government affairs for the American Association of Museums. He and his wife, Hope, reside in the Cold Spring area.

"I have enjoyed my service at Boscobel and look forward to continuing to contribute to the further growth and enhancement of this remarkable place," Platt stated.