Richard E. Allen, Jr. President & CEO, Space Center Houston Manned Space Flight Education Foundation Richard Allen has overall responsibility for all business aspects of the day-to-day operations, education, fundraising, marketing, strategic planning and community relations for the nonprofit museum Space Center Houston, which he joined in 1995. With more than 30 years in leadership positions in the museum and attractions industries, past roles included general manager for U.S. Space and Rocket Center (home of U.S. Space Camp), a space museum and education center in Huntsville, Ala.; and numerous management positions with Six Flags Corp., including vice president and general manager of Six Flags Atlantis, director of operations for Six Flags Amusement Center, manager of operations at Six Flags Great Adventure, director of administration at Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags Over Texas, and corporate director of special projects. Awards include the 2003 NASA Public Service medal for outstanding support of NASA and Johnson Space Center and the 2005 University of West Georgia Alumni Achievement Award. Allen is very active in the community and has served in many organizations designed to promote economic growth and quality of life. He is on the board of directors of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (former chairman), the Bay Area Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Texas Travel Industry Association where he also serves on the Attractions Council Steering Committee. He is a member of the National Management Association and the Development and Advisory Council of the University of Houston-Clear Lake. He formerly was on the boards of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce (chairman). Allen holds a bachelor of business administration degree from what is now University of West Georgia in Carrolton with a double major in marketing and management and a minor in economics. The Manned Space Flight Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit space museum with an extensive science education program. The cornerstone of its science education mission is Space Center Houston, which USA Today called “The Big Draw” in the greater Houston area with more than 800,000 visitors annually and a $45 million economic impact on the greater Houston area. Space Center Houston is Houston’s first and only Smithsonian Affiliate and the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center. The center draws more than 100,000 teachers and students annually from around the world. For more information, go to www.spacecenter.org. SOURCE: Manned Space Flight Education Foundation Manned Space Flight Education Foundation | www.spacecenter.org .