Strawbery Banke honors Lawrence J. Yerdon, President and CEO at “Larry’s Legacy Celebration” Gala

PORTSMOUTH — Strawbery Banke Museum held a gala at the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel on Friday, Oct. 14, in honor and celebration of Lawrence J. Yerdon for 18 years of service as the museum’s President and CEO. Yerdon, who is slated to retire in January 2023, was recognized for his transformational leadership and credited for shaping Strawbery Banke into the year-round Portsmouth destination and the renowned educational institution it is today.

The evening kicked off with a cocktail reception for more than 200 attendees, composed of museum trustees, National Council members, museum staff, stakeholders, and many of Yerdon’s friends and family. The event, “Larry’s Legacy Celebration,” was emceed by Cynthia Fenneman, chair of the Board of Trustees, who welcomed guests and introduced the Sweetgrass Quartet, who performed traditional a capella songs.

“With his passionate team, Larry has grown Strawbery Banke in smart, innovative, and sustaining ways – all making history come alive,” Fenneman said. “There is nothing like mission-based work where you see the power of determined people who make change for the greater good, as evidenced strongly at Strawbery Banke. We celebrate Larry’s ambitions to honor the importance of history, historic homes, the people who lived in them, their daily lives, and how they built the fabric of our community today.”

Although unable to attend the event, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a friend and supporter of the museum sent a letter to be read by Fenneman to Larry and attendees.

“Under your leadership, Strawbery Banke has thrived in its mission to tell the story of Portsmouth’s Puddle Dock neighborhood in a creative, comprehensive and compelling way,” wrote Shaheen. “Your efforts have ignited a passion and appreciation for our shared past in countless people. You have also worked to foster a sense of community in and around Strawbery Banke through initiatives like the Heritage House Program and the Labrie Family Skate. By breathing new life into a centuries-old site, you have ensured that Strawbery Banke will retain its central place in the fabric of downtown Portsmouth well into the future.”

As President and CEO, Yerdon spearheaded numerous innovative projects and programs. Passionate about making history accessible to all, Yerdon established the History Within Reach scholarship program allowing thousands of schoolchildren from economically underserved school districts to visit the museum at no cost. Additionally, he created the Heritage House Program, which restores and leases underutilized space in the museum’s historic houses, generating income for continued maintenance.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have worked at some of the finest history museums and am grateful to end my rewarding career at Strawbery Banke,” said Yerdon. “It takes a wonderful community to build and sustain a museum like Strawbery Banke. I am thankful to the many individuals, including the Board of Trustees, National Council members, staff, and volunteers, who have supported Strawbery Banke in so many ways.

Following dinner, a short video featured stakeholder testimonials about Yerdon and his impact at Strawbery Banke Museum. Steven Yerdon, Lawrence J. Yerdon’s brother, presented a book filled with photos of significant milestones along with personal well-wishes to the retiring President and CEO.

Zachary Slater, chair of the Building Community Capital Campaign and former chair of the Board of Trustees, also commented on the many notable accomplishments of the museum under the direction and leadership of Yerdon. Additionally, Slater announced the public phase of “Building Community: The Campaign for Strawbery Banke,” the museum’s capital campaign, and provided an update on the significant fundraising efforts in its "quiet phase."

Launched in 2018, “Building Community: The Campaign for Strawbery Banke” is the largest fundraising effort in the museum’s history, with an ambitious goal of $25 million in cash, pledges, and planned gifts. Initiatives include completing the restoration of the remaining houses in the Historic House Program, support of the museum’s education and interpretation programs, including the History Within Reach scholarship program for economically underserved schools, protecting the museum’s historic houses, launching education-awareness programs around the Sea Level Rise initiative, and increasing the consistent and reliable source of revenue of the Martha Fuller Clark and Dr. Geoffrey Clark Endowment.

“For the past four years, Strawbery Banke has been in the silent phase of the largest fundraising campaign in the Museum’s history,” said Slater. “This campaign, to date, has raised nearly $24.5 million toward several preservation and education initiatives. While the fundraising has been a team effort, the campaign's great success can be credited to Larry's invaluable guidance and leadership.”

At the conclusion of the evening, Fenneman announced plans to rename the TYCO Visitors Center to the Lawrence J. Yerdon Visitors Center, effective in 2023.

“Under Larry’s direction, Strawbery Banke made great efforts to become a place to gather,” said Fenneman. “The Visitors Center serves as a central location to welcome the more than 110,000 visitors to the Museum each year. Renaming this building after Larry is a small way to honor his significant contributions and accomplishments as President and CEO.”

In addition to the Visitors Center renaming ceremony, Strawbery Banke plans to host a drop-in retirement and birthday celebration for Yerdon in January that will be free and open to the public. More information about the renaming ceremony and the retirement/birthday celebration will be posted on the Museum’s website closer to the date.

For more information about Strawbery Banke Museum, visit StrawberyBanke.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Strawbery Banke honors Lawrence J. Yerdon, President and CEO at “Larry’s Legacy Celebration” Gala