Speaking Of… Series Presents “The Navy at Point Mugu From 1945”

From World War II through the Cold War to today’s global operations, Robert Warnagieris, Ed.D., former executive director of the Pacific Missile Test Center at Point Mugu, presents The Navy at Point Mugu From 1945 as the topic of the upcoming “Speaking of Ventura County” lecture series, 1 to 2:30 p.m., April 10, at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main Street, Ventura. The facility in Point Mugu started as a United States Navy anti-aircraft training center during World War II and was developed in the late 1940s as the Navy’s major missile development and test facility. This facility was the site where most of the Navy’s missiles were developed and tested during the 1950/1960 era, including the AIM-7 Sparrow family and the AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air, Bullpup air-to-surface, and Regulus surface-to-surface missiles. In 2000, it merged with nearby Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme to form Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC).

In addition to a 39-year career with the Department of the Navy in the field of missile test and evaluation, Dr. Warnagieris has had a parallel career of 28 years in education and served on school boards in Ventura and Santa Maria. He was an Associate Professor for the University of La Verne and West Coast University in the fields of public policy, education, and strategic business management at the masters and doctoral levels. He also lectured in engineering for California State University, Northridge. Since his retirement in 1996, Dr. Warnagieris has held several leadership positions in Ventura County nonprofit organizations, served on the AARP legislative team and was the acting CA state president in 2009. He is currently a member of the Ventura County Civic Alliance Executive Council and a board member for the Ventura Botanical Gardens Project.

His education includes a BS in engineering from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo; an MBA from University of California, Los Angeles; a Mid-Career Fellowship at Princeton University in Public and International Affairs; and an Ed.D. from the University of La Verne. He also attended the Naval Post-Graduate School at Monterey, California (Engineering), the University of California, Santa Barbara (Education) and the Federal Executive Institute at the University of Virginia.

Admission is free to members; $5 for non-members. Ample free parking. For information call 805.653.0323

The Museum of Ventura County celebrates, preserves and interprets the art, history and culture of Ventura County, the California Channel Islands and the surrounding region through its collections, exhibitions, events, educational programs, publications and its research library, and serves as a gathering place for the community. Located at 100 East Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001, the Museum of Ventura County is open Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Phone 805.653.0323 for more information.