Washington, DC, 5/14/2007 - The American Association of Museums (AAM) is pleased to announce that Mark A. Ryan, Vice President of Collections and Registration for the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, North Dakota, will receive the 2007 Nancy Hanks Memorial Award for Professional Excellence. The award will be presented today at the 2007 AAM Annual Meeting in Chicago.

The Nancy Hanks Memorial Award for Professional Excellence honors notable accomplishments by a museum professional with less than ten years in the field. The award also recognizes a specific achievement that has benefited either the honoree's home institution or the museum field in general.

“Mark is an exceptional staff member who has made significant contributions,” says his nominator, Edward E. Pauley, President/CEO of the Plains Art Museum. As vice president of collections and registration, Mark is responsible for managing all aspects of logistics and collections care for artwork within the museum as well as reviewing and processing loan contracts, communicating lender requirements and costs, and reviewing facility reports, insurance policies, and exhibition agreements.

In addition to his management duties at the museum, Mark has presented and chaired several conference panels and workshops at the Mountain-Plains Museum Association (MPMA) annual meeting and served on the MPMA program committee. Mark serves on the Lake Regions Art Council and Midwest Art Conservation Center boards of directors. He also volunteers his time to the Children’s Museum at Yonkers Farm, Fargo and the North Dakota State University campus gallery as an exhibition and collections advisor.

In a letter of recommendation, Claudia J. Berg, board member of the museum stated that, “As a young professional he was a perfect fit for the job responsibilities in a growing art museum; both had great possibilities and both are living up to their potential.”

The Nancy Hanks Memorial Award for Professional Excellence commemorates the late Nancy Hanks, who dedicated her career to cultural endeavors and encouraging young professionals in the cultural arena. Hanks’ many accomplishments included eight years as chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

The award certificate carries a $1,000 stipend to be used for professional development.

Awarded each year by AAM, application for the Nancy Hanks Memorial Award for Professional Excellence must be made by the nominee's director (or by a trustee if the nominee is a director). Museums of all types and sizes are encouraged to nominate a candidate. Visit www.aam-us.org/getinvolved/nominate/awards.cfm for more information.

About AAM
The American Association of Museums (AAM) has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. With more than 15,000 individual, 3,000 institutional and 300 corporate members, AAM is dedicated to ensuring that museums remain a vital part of the American landscape, connecting people with the greatest achievements of the human experience, past, present and future. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

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