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The Railroaders Memorial Museum has hired the management firm that held concerts in the yard this summer to run operations.

Salone Management Group of DuBois will replace Chief Executive Officer Scott Cessna, who led the museum out of a financial crisis that almost closed it five years ago.

“SMG brings resources and skill sets to the museum that are desperately needed,” the museum board said in a written statement.

SMG runs Uno Pizzeria in Altoona and Quaker Steak & Lube restaurant in State College, and principal Larry Salone is an engineer who owns several engineering and fabrication firms, including manufacturers of food processing equipment.

The museum board said the facility is still in “precarious” financial condition, and SMG gives it “the best chance for short-term viability and long-term growth and success.”

SMG will be responsible for fundraising, membership acquisition, grantsmanship, maintenance and staffing.

“We were impressed with the resources they brought to bear on the concerts,” board spokesman Rudy Husband said. “They seem to have a knack.”

SMG inherits two unfinished projects: The long-overdue and now-shelved restoration of the K-4 steam locomotive and construction of a quarter-roundhouse in the yard.

Salone is a self-described railroad “geek” eager to turn his passion into a business opportunity, SMG Operations Director John Seely said recently.

Cessna said he is disappointed but not bitter.

“It’s not about me,” said Cessna, 45. “The museum is bigger than me.”

Ironically, he invited Salone to become a museum event partner in 2006.

Cessna learned the board was discussing a management change in August, but didn’t learn he wasn’t going to be part of the staff until two weeks ago, he said.

Under a 2003 management contract with Westsylvania, Cessna was operations director.

He would have been willing to work under Salone, but Salone wanted to make “unencumbered” decisions, Cessna said.

“You can’t fault a guy for wanting to do things his way,” Cessna said.

Cessna thinks SMG will be good for the museum, because it has resources he lacks, he said. He wants the museum to continue to push to become a “hub of community activity.”

During the last two weeks, Cessna has helped with the transition. He plans to volunteer with a local rail fan group to work in the yard on Saturdays.

He has no regrets, although if he had it to do again, he would have delved into the K-4 project sooner than 2007, when a consultant discovered problems that resulted in a transfer of work from Scranton to Altoona and the eventual temporary shutdown of the project.

He said he still believes the project will get done.

 

 

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