The search has begun to replace the founder of one of Iowa's top tourist destinations. Jerry Enzler founded the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque in 2003, and will retire at the end of next year.
Chairman of the board of directors, Ken Furst, says Enzler was hired in 1977 as the first full-time employee of the Dubuque County Historical Society. For forty years, he worked to bring more tourists to Dubuque's riverfront, which included opening the museum 12 years ago.
Now, about 200,000 people visit the Smithsonian-affiliated museum every year.
Furst says the board has hired an outside firm and created a committee to search for the next president and CEO. In a statement, Enzler says he'll start shifting responsibilities to other employees, but will keep working until the end of 2016.