John O. Baatz Elected President of Pasadena Museum of History

Retired business executive John O. Baatz of La Canada Flintridge has been elected President of the Board of Trustees of Pasadena Museum for 2014-2015. Baatz, who joined the PMH Board in 2008, previously served as Vice President and Treasurer.

The transition took place at the January meeting of the Board on Wednesday, January 22, at which time PMH honored outgoing President, Laura M. Thompson, with its prestigious Orrin Fox award for her strong leadership of the organization from 2011 to present, in particular during the challenging period of the Fenyes Mansion renovation. The Award is presented to Trustees /Officers in recognition of outstanding service to the Museum; it is named after Past Board President Orrin Fox.

John O. Baatz brings a wealth of leadership and business acumen to his position with PMH. Since 1988 he was President and Co-owner of Baatz Enterprises, Inc., which includes Tow Industries, Southern California’s longest operating and largest independent distributor of vehicle recovery and transport equipment, and Commuter Vans, which resells multi-passenger vans that have been retired from commuter fleets to schools, churches, retirement homes, children’s camps, and airport shuttles. Baatz previously held executive positions in companies in Southern California and his native Canada.

Baatz earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University and his MBA at the University of Western Ontario. He has been active in numerous civic, cultural and philanthropic organizations throughout his career. He has held the posts of President and Director of the La Canada Flintridge Rotary Club, Board Chairman of La Canada Flintridge Congregational Church, Co-Founder and Board President of La Canada Flintridge’s Lighted Window Preschool, and he was a director of the Pasadena Pops Orchestra and Glendale Adventist Medical Center Foundation.

For more information, visit www.pasadenahistory.org.