[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 28, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PAYING TRIBUTE TO ELLEN ROSENTHAL FOR HER OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO CONNER 
                                PRAIRIE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN W. BROOKS

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 28, 2015

  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ellen 
Rosenthal on the occasion of her retirement. For 10 years Ellen has 
served as President and CEO of Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, 
a beloved destination of Indiana's Fifth Congressional District located 
in Fishers, Indiana. Conner Prairie flourished under Ellen's 
leadership, and Hoosiers are eternally grateful for her contributions.
  Ellen has a long history developing museums and exhibits. She planned 
the opening of historic houses at the Minnesota Historical Society in 
St. Paul, Minnesota and at the Frick Art and Historical Center in 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She also served as curatorial director for 
the American History Workshop in Brooklyn, New York, where she managed 
projects for the National Museum of American History, South Street 
Seaport Museum, and National Endowment for the Humanities. In 1999, 
Ellen began her career with Conner Prairie as Vice President of 
Internal Affairs, assumed a leadership role in 2003 when she was 
promoted to Executive Director, and in 2005 became President and CEO. 
Since then, Ellen played an integral role in transforming Conner 
Prairie from a traditional living history museum into the independent, 
immersive, and interactive history park it is today.
  At the beginning stages of Conner Prairie's transformation, Ellen 
redefined the museum's mission to ``inspire curiosity and foster 
learning about Indiana's past by providing engaging, individualized and 
unique experiences.'' She has a passion for creating and developing 
museums that offer active engagement and learning that transcends 
generations and strategic, data-driven decision making. A wonderful 
example of Ellen's vision put into action is the opening of the outdoor 
experience ``Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana,'' which used 
historical actors, sounds, and sets to place visitors in the middle of 
a southern Indiana Civil War battle. Her unique approach to focusing on 
experiential learning and guest immersion as well as her incomparable 
ability to build support and raise funds for new exhibits has resulted 
in more than a 240 percent increase in annual attendance. More than 
360,000 guests visit Conner Prairie's historic grounds and indoor 
experiences annually.
  During her tenure as President and CEO, Conner Prairie has received a 
number of honors and awards. Most notably, Conner Prairie was awarded 
the nation's highest honor for museums--the National Medal from the 
Institute for Museum Library Sciences. Conner Prairie also was selected 
as one of six museums nationwide to be featured as a magnetic museum, 
which is defined as ``high-performance organizations that deliver 
tangible cultural and civic value and achieve superior business 
results.'' Under her leadership, Conner Prairie became a Smithsonian 
affiliate, the only museum in Indiana to hold such a distinction. 
Additionally, Ellen led the effort that secured a $2.3 million National 
Science Foundation grant in 2012 that empowers Conner Prairie to lead 
four American institutions in the integration of informal science 
experiments at historical sites and museums across the country.
  Ellen's personal commitment to the community and success as a leader 
has not gone unnoticed. Governor Mike Pence is bestowing upon Ellen a 
Sagamore of the Wabash, one of the most prestigious honors in Indiana. 
She also received the Commitment to Creativity Trailblazer award from 
University High School (2014), the Torchbearer award from the Indiana 
Commission for Women (2013), was cited for Excellence in Innovation by 
the Indiana Innovation Awards (2012), named a Woman of Influence by the 
Indianapolis Business Journal (2008), and named a ``Distinguished 
Hoosier'' by Governor Mitch Daniels (2006).
  As a personal friend and admirer of Ellen for over a decade, it is 
truly a privilege to honor her today for her many accomplishments. On 
behalf of the grateful constituents of Indiana's Fifth Congressional 
District, I congratulate Ellen on the occasion of her retirement. We 
congratulate her on her remarkable career and extend a huge thank you 
for all of the wonderful contributions she has made to Conner Prairie 
and the Hoosier community. I wish the very best to Ellen, her husband, 
Dr. Ted Logan, and her three sons, Daniel, Sam, and Paul as she enjoys 
a well-deserved retirement.

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