National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation picks next CEO

Preparations are seen underway for this weekend’s grand opening of the National Medal of Honor Museum on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Arlington.

Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer

As the National Medal of Honor Museum enters its next era, its parent organization has found its next leader.

The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation announced Monday that Troy M. Bertram will succeed Chris Cassidy as chief executive officer. Cassidy started in the role in 2021 and announced his departure October 2025, after the Arlington museum opened its doors in March. Upon his departure, the foundation launched a national search to find who would lead the museum as it transformed from an idea to a daily operation drawing more than 100,000 visitors so far.

“While I don’t come to this role from a traditional museum CEO background, I believe the unique experiences that I’ve had throughout my career can really help elevate the foundation’s work at this time in America, as a patriot in my heart, where we really need projects that bring people together,” Bertram said. “First and foremost, grateful for Charlotte Jones and the rest of the board of directors, especially the recipients [of the Medal of Honor] that have entrusted me with this responsibility.”

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Troy M. Bertram was named chief executive officer of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation on August 17, 2026, in charge of the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas.

Courtesy of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation

The National Medal of Honor Museum tells the stories of recipients of the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest military award for valor. Though an estimated 40 million people have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, less than 4,000 have received the Medal of Honor since it was first granted during the American Civil War. The museum, which sits by the water in the Arlington entertainment district, was named the Best New Museum of 2026 by USA Today and one of the most beautiful in the world by the Prix Versailles. The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation is also responsible for the forthcoming National Medal of Honor Monument, to be located near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Cassidy, a former Navy SEAL and astronaut, shepherded the foundation as it secured more than $300 million in fundraising to build the museum, but stepped down soon after its completion, telling The Dallas Morning News last year, “I was super passionate about getting this project delivered to the nation, but probably not the right passion for running the day-to-day business of a museum.”

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Bertram comes to the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation by way of Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services and other technology companies. He grew up in northern Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota on an ROTC scholarship, before serving with distinction in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

A Texas resident for now 20 years, Bertram received his master’s degree in business administration from St. Edwards University in Austin. Though maybe it’s fate that his career is now drawing him to North Texas. A hockey player and fan like many Minnesotans, Bertram went to camp with Minnesota North Stars-turned-Dallas Stars legend Mike Modano before he was drafted.

In more recent history, Bertram’s technology career focused on public sector partnerships with defense, first responders, governments and education customers, which he says will inform his approach to the museum’s “mission to inspire America.”

“[These industries] are looking for ways to leverage their technology to help tell stories and share experiences. We’re at the perfect time and place for those partnerships to emerge and evolve,” Bertram said. “Technology is helping us reach more humans, … so that we can reach them in whichever modalities they want to consume content from.”

He noted the foundation also reaches people through its Griffin Institute, which does educational outreach targeting everyone from K-12 students to executives and thought leaders to teach its six core values of courage, sacrifice, commitment, integrity, citizenship and patriotism. The Griffin Institute has reached 300,000 students across 12,000 schools, according to the foundation.

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A spiral staircase is seen after the grand opening celebration at the National Medal of Honor Museum, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Arlington.

Chitose Suzuki/Staff Photographer

Ultimately, Bertram said, the goal is to get as many people into the National Medal of Honor Museum as possible. As a nonprofit, the museum doesn’t have the marketing budget, but he believes strongly in the appeal of the museum’s lessons of bravery to a broad audience and that the “momentum” of visitors sharing their experience at the museum will help it grow.

Bertram, who spent much of his military career flying in the back of a Black Hawk helicopter, told the story of visiting the museum in March with his 19-year-old son and 10-year-old nephew, where they bonded over “what Uncle did” at the museum’s virtual reality Huey helicopter experience. He said he’s witnessed the same thing with other visitors.

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“I walked upstairs on Tuesday and was just interacting with a few of our visitors. It was, ‘I want to look up what Grandpa did’ or ‘What did Grandma do’ or ‘Mom that may no longer be with us, where did she serve and what did she do in the service?’ And now there’s that interest level of Americans that are wanting to learn about our past and our heritage,” he said.

“I am again humbled and fortunate to have this opportunity because it is a mission of a lifetime to espouse these values and virtues, but it’s not just for veterans. … The museum is a must-see destination for anyone who wants to connect with those values and to unite us as a nation.”

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