Legacy & Beyond: History Center
What do you want your legacy to be?
As part of our 2025 Annual Report, we challenged four nonprofit leaders to answer the question in a statement that describes the impact they hope their organizations will have on the community through their leadership.
ORGANIZATION
History Center
The History Center serves present and future generations by collecting, preserving, and sharing artifacts, documents, and images that describe the people, places, and events that define Fort Wayne and Allen County history.
Todd Maxwell Pelfrey, Executive Director
Todd Maxwell Pelfrey has served the History Center for 21 years, with 18 of those as Executive Director. He is inspired by the resonance of public history and the societal good that accompanies nonprofit service. The longest-serving principal staff executive in the organization’s 104-year history, Todd started his career at the History Center as Education Director, then moved into roles as Assistant Director and Associate Director before being appointed as Executive Director in 2007.
History Center’s Legacy
Todd Maxwell Pelfrey, Executive Director
Over a century ago, one of Fort Wayne’s first city planners cautioned, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” In my tenure, I’ve learned that authentic nonprofit leadership requires the discipline to listen, the humility to synthesize other voices, and the determination to distill the community’s wishes into an obtainable, adaptable, and impactful vision. My proudest achievement is the organization’s commitment to sustainability, evidenced by tripling annual attendance, doubling operating support, increasing the endowment nearly fivefold, and completing record capital campaigns, all while achieving an unprecedented 17 consecutive fiscal years with operating surpluses. This ensures our accomplishments are not fleeting but form a foundation of stability and vibrancy.
Nonprofit leaders are temporary stewards, reliably guiding our organizations and ensuring our successes nurture, rather than borrow from, future generations. My hope for The History Center is that it continues thinking in centuries, not just years. I envision expanding exhibit renovations and contemporary histories, having educated our youth to create a caring and deeply rooted citizenry.
I hope to be remembered as a dedicated, compelling, and resilient leader. Dedicated to maximizing public goodwill to build an effective historical organization; compelling in connecting residents to their past and future; and resilient by fostering stability for long-term vitality. I want to be remembered as a leader who worked with purpose, telling our shared stories with empathy and courage.
Above all, I hope our work at the History Center helps every resident see themselves in our local history, appreciating their role in this beautiful tapestry of human heritage.