Meet Scott Stroh, the Executive Director of Lorton's Gunston Hall Plantation

Scott Stroh has been the executive director of Gunston Hall Plantation for a little more than a week. So, how are things going at the former home of founding father George Mason? 

"I've now been in every nook and cranny of the 550 acres, and that's been exhilarating," said Stroh to Patch. "I like to think that what I bring is passion energy and vision. I love what I do."

Stroh has visited the plantation a number of times over the years.

"I've always had a deep interest in George Mason," he said. "I've read a number of his biographies before I even knew about this search (for an executive director). I've always been interested in what he wrote and the process of expression - how he developed and articulated his ideas." 

The Gunston Hall Board of Regents and the Commonwealth of Virginia hired Stroh last month and is first day was July 8, 2013. The Board fired Executive Director David Reese in April 2012, after firing the longtime education coordinator and eliminating education programs. He was temporarily replaced by Gunston Hall archivist Mark Whatford and then Patrick Ladden, who was the program director at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. 

The previous executive director made just over $80,000 a year, and the new salary is $103,200, according to Susan Blankenship, a spokesperson for Gunston Hall. The Gunston Hall Regent's Fund is supplementing the Commonwealth's salary cap with $17,024. 

Stroh now lives in Lake Ridge with his wife and two young daughters.

"One of my greatest joys is seeing the enthusiasm and the pride and the excitement derived from the process of exploration and discovery as my daughters learn and experience new things," he said. "What I like to do in my capacity with museums and historic sites is endeavor to facilitate that experience for everybody."  

Stroh's work includes a stint as the Executive Director of the Milwaukee County Historical Society; Director and State Historic Preservation Officer, Florida Division of Historical Resources; Executive Director of the Roanoke Island Commission; and Curator of Historic Spanish Point, Osprey, Florida. He is also the Secretary of the American Association for State and Local History. 

The Regents and staff are currently drafting their five-year strategic plan, a document that will be the blueprint for growth at the plantation over the next five years. The document will be available for public viewing in the summer and will be voted on the fall.  

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