November 5, 2010 - The Museum of Flight in Seattle has named Douglas R. King as president and chief executive officer, succeeding Interim President Michael Hallman, who will return to his previous role as vice chairman of the museum's board of trustees. King comes to the Museum of Flight from his post as president and chief executive officer of the Saint Louis Science Center, the fourth largest science center in the country, where he served since 1995.  He is no stranger to the Pacific Northwest, having received his MBA from the University of Washington.

"We are absolutely delighted to have Doug King join us here," said Kevin Callaghan, chairman of the board of trustees of Seattle's Museum of Flight.  "His impressive background as the president of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education in Washington, D.C., his ties to the Northwest and his track record with the Saint Louis Science Center, sets the stage for our next exciting chapter at The Museum of Flight in Seattle."

At the Saint Louis Science Center, King's team welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors each year, making it not only the fourth-largest science center in the country, but one of the nation's 25 largest museums. King helped build a national reputation that was rewarded with the Association of Science/Technology Centers' highest honor - the Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Award - three times since 2005.

Prior to his work at the Saint Louis Science Center, King served for five years as president of Challenger Center for Space Science Education headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded by the families of the Challenger crew, the center has established educational facilities in more than 50 cities across North America and England, including St. Louis. Before becoming involved in education, King spent nearly 20 years in the electronics industry. He served as a vice president of the American Electronics Association and president of the Association of Technology Business Councils. He was also a founding board member of Technology Gateway, and served on the board of its successor, Innovate St. Louis, which is helping grow St. Louis as a national science and technology leader.

King was appointed by the administrator of NASA to the agency's Education and Public Outreach Committee and by the chief of staff of the Air Force to the Air Force Civic Leaders Group. He also serves on the boards of the Academy of Science of St. Louis, the Giant Screen Cinema Association, the Missouri Biotechnology Association, the Coalition for Plant and Life Sciences and Forest Park Forever.  He has also served as president of the Association of Science Museum Directors, chairman of the NASA Education Advisory Committee, and as member of the NASA Advisory Council, the Congressional Web-based Education Commission, and the board of the Association of Science/Technology Centers.

A native of Fresno, California, King received his BS degree in engineering from Stanford University and his MBA in finance from the University of Washington. He and his wife Stacy have four adult children.

The non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest independent air and space museums in the world. The Museum's collection includes more than 150 historically significant air- and spacecraft, as well as the William E. Boeing Red Barn the original manufacturing facility of the Boeing Co. The Airpark includes outdoor displays with the first jet Air Force One, a Concorde airliner, and the first Boeing 747 jumbo jet. The Museum aeronautical library and archival holdings are the largest on the West Coast. The Education Office offers weekend family programs, programs for students and educators, and overnight camps for children. McCormick & Schmick's Wings Caf? is on site.