“I ended up in education, but it didn’t change the desire over the years,” she said. “When I came here (in 2013), that underlying love was back with being able to work with the pilots, the airplanes, the people. I set it aside, and years later came back full circle.”
Royer joined WACO about a decade ago to work with its aviation learning center. “Pretty much single-handedly, she built what we have in the learning center, which has up to 5,000 students of various ages per year,” said Jim McGarry of the WACO board.
Royer fills the position previously held by Gretchen Hawk, who retired. “From the time Gretchen decided she wanted to leave, we talked with Nancy. When we looked at the type of person we were looking for, it kept coming back to Nancy,” McGarry said.
Royer worked in education for several years and was working at Riverside of Miami County when she learned about opportunities at WACO.
“I learned a lot of things along the way. I felt mentored by Don Willis and Gretchen Hawk. It was on-the-job training for this job,” she said.
In the executive director role, she will focus more on donor relations and finance.
Among her initial tasks are coordinating the 100th anniversary celebration of WACO in 2023 with a main celebration during the annual WACO Fly In in September.
Goals for that celebration include drawing 100 WACO aircraft to the WACO airfield. The last time, 100 WACOs were together was in 1941 in Troy as preparations of aircraft continued for the war effort. Work is underway on increasing the aircraft parking area to accommodate the airplanes.
Royer’s other top goal is seeing a learning center building constructed at the museum to occupancy. Added fund-raising will be among tasks to achieving that goal.
While initial fund raising was conducted, efforts stalled with COVID-19 and the redirection of donations to other needs associated with pandemic relief. The amount remaining to be raised will need to be recalculated due to increases in the cost of supplies and materials the past couple of years.
Royer said she likes the challenges posed by the new position. “I feel blessed to work with the people I work with. I am appreciative of the vote of confidence to see WACO to the next level,” she said.
More information on WACO, including volunteer activities, is available at http://www.wacoairmuseum.org.
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com
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