The California Historic Route 66 Association, the official organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of California’s Route 66, announced the appointment of Beth Murray as its new president, effective Oct. 4.
Murray will lead the association in its mission to promote Route 66 for future generations beyond the highway’s 2026 centennial celebrations.
Murray succeeds Scott Piotrowski, who served seven years and is leaving a legacy of guiding the association through the COVID-19 pandemic and balancing the Americana history of Route 66 with contemporary experiences found along the Route 66 in urban communities.
Piotrowski wrote in an email to Route 66 News:
Most importantly, I will remain involved with the California Historic Route 66 Association. I have agreed to stay on as an Advisor and currently have two Special Projects which I will continue to be involved. Neither of those are tied to Centennial-specific endeavors.
I resigned via an email notification to the Board of Trustees, effective at the October 4 meeting. Per our Bylaws, secession went to the most-tenured Vice President. That would have been Delvin Harbour, but he declined, and so Beth Murray was next in line. Beth will serve the remainder of my term until our Annual Meeting in October 2026. (We do not have term limits in our Association.)
My reasons for choosing to resign now were strictly personal, and in no way reflective of anything within the Association nor the greater Route 66 community. That is all that needs to be said at this time.
Murray serves as the association’s representative on the board of directors for Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership and will join its president’s work task force as well. The partnership is the umbrella organization that helps all eight Route 66 states to align programs that enhance Route 66’s profile and economic growth.
“Route 66 is my passion, and I am excited to work with the board and our communities to elevate California’s Mother Road profile, encouraging visitors from around the globe to experience the diversity of Route 66 – from the Mojave Desert to the Pacific Ocean and all of the dynamic communities in between,” Murray said.
Established in 1990, the California Historic Route 66 Association is a federally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion and enjoyment of historic Route 66 in California.
(Image of Beth Murray courtesy of Teresa Stamoulis)
Welcome Beth!