The St. Petersburg Museum of History announced today that it has hired Rui Farias as its full-time Executive Director.

Farias, who has held the position at the 100-year-old Museum since 2015 on a parttime basis, stepped down from a 20-year career as a history teacher and soccer coach at St. Petersburg High School to assume the role full-time.

“With our upcoming expansion and growth, the Board of Trustees agreed it was crucial to have a full-time director in place,” Museum President Katie Ramsberger said. “Between leading the fundraising efforts of $5-million and working with the designers for the new building and exhibits, Rui will have his hands full.”

A St. Pete resident since 1967, Farias started his professional career as a journalist for the St. Petersburg Times (Now Tampa Bay Time) before moving on as the Marketing/Media Director for the Festival of States, Tampa Bay Rowdies, and the United Soccer Leagues. Prior to becoming an educator, Farias worked in facility management for Global Spectrum.

“It is an honor to be entrusted in protecting and sharing our city’s rich history,” Farias said. “Growing up in downtown, my earliest and fondest memories of St. Pete were riding my bike to the Museum of History on Saturdays. Now the planned 10,000- square-foot expansion is the next step in the facility’s history. It is a challenge, but we have the board, staff, and public support to create an inspirational and historic cultural facility in St. Petersburg.”

Photo Credit: St. Petersburg Museum of History

Date Posted: March 18, 2022