Cavezza retires from National Infantry Museum Foundation

Former Lt. Gen. Carmen Cavezza has retired as chairman and chief executive officer of the National Infantry Museum Foundation, a position he has held since 2011.

The move was made official at the foundation’s Nov. 16 board meeting.

Retired Lt. Gen. Tom Metz of Elkin, N.C., will replace Cavezza as chairman and CEO.

Cavezza will maintain an office at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, where he will continue working to raise money to help the foundation pay off its construction debt.

“They’ll have a hard time getting rid of me,” Cavezza joked. “My passion for this museum — and the soldiers it honors — is not going anywhere.”

Cavezza is credited with reducing the foundation’s debt to $5 million from $13 million in just five years, completing major new projects funded by a Phase II capital campaign, and for growing recognition of the museum as a premier national tourist attraction. In 2016, the museum was voted Best Free Museum in the nation in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

After serving 33 years in the Army, including a stint as commanding general of Fort Benning, Cavezza contributed heavily to the community as director of the 1996 Olympics events, city manager for the city of Columbus, and executive director of the Cunningham Center at Columbus State University.

Metz enters the position with a strong foundation on museum matters, having served as a foundation director and as chairman of the foundation’s sister organization, the National Infantry Association.

“I’m honored to take the reins from such a respected and admired military and civic leader,” Metz said. “And I’m excited to be a part of the growth of the nation’s finest facility dedicated to honoring soldiers. I intend to continue LTG Cavezza’s efforts to secure critical funding for the museum, and to make sure the museum’s world-class reputation spreads across the world.”

Metz retired from the Army in 2010 after nearly 40 years of service, including deputy commander of the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command and commanding general of III Corps, which included the command of 120,000 coalition troops of the Multi-National Corps — Iraq. He also served as commanding general of Fort Hood, Texas, and was the central command’s chief of staff prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is a graduate of West Point and holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University.

This story was originally published December 12, 2016 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Cavezza retires from National Infantry Museum Foundation."