MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Executive Director of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music is stepping down after nine years at the helm.
Jeff Kollath is leaving on June 30, 2024, and will become the new Executive Director of the Sultana Disaster Museum in Marion, Arkansas.
“He's a lover of great stories at heart, and Stax and the Sultana, the greatest maritime disaster in America, are both that. He’s getting the chance to create a museum from the ground up, and draw on his passion for research and storytelling with this new opportunity,” said Pat Mitchell Worley, CEO of the Soulsville Foundation.
Kollath oversaw a major renovation of the Stax Museum in 2023 for its 20th anniversary. He also created a program for free field trips for Tennessee students, and handled the research for the history of the Stax story for the recebt HBO documentary series.
"Working at the Stax Museum has been full of ‘pinch me’ moments. Being able to celebrate the Stax legacy and share the music and stories of the people who made it has been the greatest joy in my professional life. I will always be grateful to Soulsville for giving me this opportunity,” said Kollath.
Kollath isn’t fully leaving Stax. Officials said he will continue working with the Soulsville Foundation as the Chair of a new Advisory Committee for the Museum and will consult on special collections and programming.
The Soulsville Foundation said it will conduct a national search for Kollath’s replacement.