Commemorative Air Force, Comic-Con Museum leader named as head of Exploration Place

A selection committee has chosen the next leader of Exploration Place.

On Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Commission approved the choice of Adam Smith as the successor for president Jan Luth, who announced her retirement earlier this year.

Commissioner Michael O’Donnell asked Deputy County Manager Tim Kaufman how they came up with the agreed-upon salary. O’Donnell said he thought it could look “wonky” from the outside that the new president would be paid more than the Sedgwick County Zoo director despite Exploration Place having fewer employees, visitors and a much smaller budget than the zoo.

“In an effort to attract the type of candidate that we were gonna need to lead us forward and build on all of the success that Jan has had, we were gonna need to compensate them,” Kaufman said. “When the zoo director came he did not have experience as an executive director. Mr. Smith certainly does.”

Kaufman said Smith’s annual pay includes $135,000 from the county and $10,000 from Exploration Place.

“This is another successful public-private partnership,” said Commissioner Jim Howell said, who is also an Exploration Place Board of Trustee member. “(Smith’s) connection to aviation got me very excited.”

Luth has been the president since 2010.

Smith, who starts Nov. 11, was born in England and most recently served as the executive director Comic-Con Museum in San Diego. He also spent time as the executive vice president of Commemorative Air Force in Dallas. The museum touts itself as the “world’s largest flying museum” and has been expanding its science, technology, engineering and math program in recent years.