National Medal of Honor Museum appoints new board leaders

The Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center announces the appointment of retired Navy Rear Adm. Noah Long, as chairman and retired Col. Frank Hughes, USMC, as vice chairman of its board of trustees.

Long previously served as vice chairman of the museum’s board and was responsible for the design and construction of the new National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. After serving in the Navy for more than 30 years, Long worked for a variety of development and real estate companies before retiring in 2006 as president and CEO of Rosser International, a full-service architectural and engineering firm in Atlanta. In addition to serving on Heritage Center’s board, RADM Long also served as chairman emeritus of the Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association that helped raise

$3.5 million for the organization’s scholarship program for the sons and daughters of Seabees.

Hughes was chairman of the Heritage Center’s capital campaign that raised more than

$6.25 million to design and build the new National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. He retired as a colonel from the United States Marine Corps where he served as battalion commander of the Fourth Battalion, 14th Marines. He is currently the executive vice president of investor relations and treasurer for SmartFinancial, Inc., the parent company of SmartBank.

The new board leaders were chosen upon the retirement of retired Army Maj. Gen. William Raines, who has chaired the organization for the past seven years.

“I would like to thank outgoing Chairman Bill Raines for his extraordinary leadership, bold vision and tireless efforts that helped design and build a first-class facility that honors Chattanooga as the birthplace of the Medal of Honor and commemorates the first recipients of the Medal of Honor as well as other recipients who serve as an inspiration to all of us,” Long said.

In recognition of Raines service,the board named MG Raines as Chairman Emeritus.

In addition, the board of trustees voted to appoint attorney Maury Nicely to the board of trustees and Dr. Frank Butler, a UC Foundation associate professor of management with University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, to the National Advisory Board.

“The Heritage Center has been very fortunate to have some incredible leaders over the years, and that tradition holds true with our leadership changes and board additions,” said Keith Hardison, executive director of the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. “Their voices, expertise and leadership are essential to our future as we work to grow our mission during these challenging times and sustain the Heritage Center while our community and country recover from the coronavirus pandemic.”