AACA Museum appoints a familiar face as its new executive director

Jeff Bliemeister. Photo by Mark Usciak, courtesy AACA Museum.

If the name Jeff Bliemeister sounds familiar to readers of the Hemmings Daily, it should. From February 2003, when the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, opened its doors, until November of 2011, Jeff served as the museum's curator, and was on staff when the facility received its accreditation as a Smithsonian Affiliate. On Friday, November 18, Jeff was named as the AACA Museum's latest executive director, replacing Mark Lizewskie, who left the role in September.

Most recently, Jeff served as the site administrator for the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, but his resume includes time as a site administrator for the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum in Potter County; curator of the Renfrew Museum and Park in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania; and director of Hyde Hall in Springfield, New York. Jeff holds a bachelor's degree in history from the State University of New York, as well as a master's degree in museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program.

Photo courtesy AACA Museum.

During Jeff's previous nine years with the AACA Museum, he processed over 200 vehicle donations, including a 1914 Garford stake bed truck gifted by Penske Truck Leasing. Exhibits curated under his watch included Top Brass, a 2007 display of Brass-Era cars; 2008's American Fins: The Rise and Fall of the Tail Fin in American Automotive Design; a 2009 showing of stainless steel cars bodied by Pittsburgh's ATI Allegheny Ludlum steel; and a 2011 display of Shelby automobiles, covering the broad scope of Carroll Shelby's career as a racer and constructor. Jeff's own passion is Mustangs, and in his spare time he serves as a Senior Master AACA judge.

Of the appointment, Hank Hallowell III, president of the AACA Museum's board of directors, said:

…we're extremely happy to welcome Jeff back to the AACA Museum. Jeff's prior affiliation with the AACA Museum, his relationships in the automotive hobby, along with his years of experience in the Museum field make him the perfect candidate to step into this role.

Jeff begins his new role on Monday, December 12.

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