DMSB Rotary Welcomes Terry Kraft, President and CEO of the USS Midway Museum
Friday, November 13, 2026 - DMSB Rotary had the privilege of hosting Terry Kraft, President and CEO of the USS Midway Museum, as our guest speaker.
Terry’s 34 years in the Navy took him from Naval Flight Officer to a series of leadership posts, including aboard the USS Shreveport and the USS Ronald Reagan. During Desert Storm, he served on the Midway itself and flew 40 combat missions over Iraq. Today, he leads the very ship where he once served, now one of San Diego’s most beloved landmarks.
The numbers speak for themselves. The Midway served in the Navy from 1945 to 1992 and opened as a museum in 2004. Since then, it has drawn more than 21 million visitors from around the world and is ranked #1 of 966 things to do in San Diego. Each year it hosts over 600 events, more than 200 of them corporate, and welcomes over 40,000 K-12 students. Its scholarship program has awarded more than $4 million.
The museum runs on people power, with over 800 volunteers working across 12 departments and 50 unique roles. If you have time to spare, they’d love to have you.
What’s coming next:
- A Prisoner of War exhibit
- New passenger elevators
- The Hard Deck Bar exhibit from Top Gun: Maverick, opening in early 2027
- McGrath Freedom Park at Burnham Navy Pier, in its final stages of planning and construction, with completion expected in 2028
Terry, thank you for everything you do for San Diego, and for sharing your story with us this morning. From all of us at DMSB Rotary, a heartfelt thank you!
