Brucemore in Cedar Rapids names new executive director

CEDAR RAPIDS - A former assistant director has been selected as the new executive director of Brucemore.

David Janssen, 43, vice president of collections and interpretation at the Detroit Historical Society, will begin Jan. 1 at Brucemore, Iowa's only National Trust Historic Site.

Janssen served as assistant director of Brucemore, 2160 Linden Drive SE, from 1993 to 2001. He then became vice president for internal operations at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., before moving to his post in Detroit.

“As much as I loved (Brucemore) when I was there, after continuing my career in Michigan, I came to appreciate it even more,” Janssen said by phone after Monday's announcement.

He replaces Jim Kern, executive director since 2007, who resigned.