Eric Stillman named new head of Florida Holocaust Museum
On May 20, the Florida Holocaust Museum announced Eric B. Stillman as its new president and chief executive officer. As the museum prepares for its much-anticipated reopening on Sept. 9, Stillman will lead the team’s preparations to raise the organization’s visibility through contemporary exhibits, scaling up educational programming, building organizational strength and helping to secure its future for years to come.
Stillman’s career has focused on leadership and development, primarily within the Jewish nonprofit sector. He has served as CEO of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee; president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Broward County, Fla.; and executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. He has also held leadership roles at the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island; the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington; and the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Fla.
Stillman said, “With my deep personal commitment to and belief in the importance of Holocaust education, I know that the museum’s public programs, collections and resources are instrumental in helping society understand the lessons of the Holocaust and commitment to fighting antisemitism.”
He will officially join the museum on June 1, replacing Mike Igel, the museum’s interim CEO, who has led the organization for the past year while maintaining his professional position as an attorney with Johnson Pope. Igel remains a board member and will chair the newly formed Elie Wiesel Collection Project Committee at the museum.
“Eric joins us at a pivotal time, as we look ahead to re-opening our renovated and reimagined Museum and continue to expand our impact far beyond our walls – and our region,” said Igel. “His passion and experience will be invaluable to our mission, and I can’t wait to see what this new chapter brings.”
Before joining the museum, Stillman served as chief development officer of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and was a founder of Triovate Analytics, which applies mathematical modeling and predictive analytics to predict and prevent antisemitism and other forms of hate incidents.
Josh Bomstein, chairman of The Florida Holocaust Museum board, said “Eric’s professional experience and his passion for our mission make him a fantastic choice to build from the strong foundation set by Michael Igel who has been serving as our Interim CEO over the past year. Mike’s leadership allowed us to continue growing while thoughtfully approaching a national search for a permanent leader. We could not be happier with the outcome of that effort and look forward to Eric’s impact on our critical mission.”
Located in St. Petersburg, the Florida Holocaust Museum, with more than 23,000 artifacts in the permanent collection, is one of only three nationally accredited Holocaust museums and is the future home of Elie Wiesel’s personal collection.