Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Names Roger Chrisman and Robert Kieding Emeritus Board Members

SBMM honors two longtime leaders whose vision, dedication, and generosity helped shape the museum’s past and future

SBMM is proud to announce that Roger Chrisman and Robert “Bob” Kieding have been named Emeritus Board Members, recognizing their extraordinary service, leadership, and lasting contributions to the museum.

Both men have played vital roles in SBMM’s development and success, helping guide the museum from its earliest years into the thriving cultural institution it is today.

Roger Chrisman has long been a steady force behind the museum’s growth, influence, and longevity. A lifelong boater and passionate community supporter, Chrisman became involved with SBMM in its formative years, when what began as a yacht club project quickly expanded into a broader vision for the entire Santa Barbara community.

Among his most significant contributions was helping secure and preserve the Point Conception Lighthouse lens, the museum’s iconic first-order Fresnel lens crafted in France in 1865. Chrisman played a key role in the complex effort to relocate the massive artifact from the remote lighthouse to the museum, transforming it into one of SBMM’s most beloved and recognizable centerpieces.

Chrisman has also been a strong advocate for the museum’s educational mission, particularly programs that bring students onto the water and connect them with the Santa Barbara Channel through firsthand experience, including support for tall ship educational programs that provide immersive, hands-on learning opportunities. He has long championed the importance of strong leadership, board engagement, volunteer involvement, and strategic partnerships to ensure the museum’s continued strength and relevance.

Bob Kieding is widely recognized as one of the founding forces behind the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and also served as a past Board President. A lifelong sailor and Santa Barbara harbor figure, Kieding helped plant the seed for the museum when the City of Santa Barbara received the old Naval Reserve Building and sought ideas for its future. From early meetings at his business, The Chandlery, Kieding brought together like-minded individuals determined to preserve and share the rich maritime history of the Santa Barbara coast.Working closely with designers, architects, donors, and community supporters, Kieding became the driving force behind the museum’s early momentum. He helped secure essential artifacts, including the historic Ranger, contributed personal maritime items, supported exhibit development, and served as an unwavering advocate for the museum’s broader vision.

Kieding’s leadership helped ensure that SBMM would tell the full story of Santa Barbara’s relationship to the sea—from sailing and shipbuilding to oil, Indigenous maritime culture, and working waterfront history. What began as an ambitious idea has since become one of the defining museums of the harbor, thanks in no small part to his vision and determination.

“Roger Chrisman and Bob Kieding have each given so much to the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum,” said SBMM President of the Board of Directors Alex Weinstein, M.D. “Their leadership, generosity, and deep belief in the importance of preserving our maritime heritage have helped shape SBMM into the institution it is today. We are honored to recognize them as Emeritus Board Members.”

This recognition reflects SBMM’s gratitude for two individuals whose dedication has helped preserve the stories, artifacts, and experiences that connect the community to the Santa Barbara Channel and its maritime legacy.