By Dirk Langeveld

STAMFORD — Following the retirement of its long-running executive director, a new leader is taking the helm at the Stamford History Center today.

Michael Macari was chosen by the center’s board of directors to take over for Tom Zoubek, who led the organization for more than two decades. A Stamford native, Macari has worked as a producer, writer, and businessman.

Emily Derr, deputy vice chairwoman of the Stamford History Center Board of Directors, said in a statement that Macari “hopes to bring a renewed sense of wonder, pride and excitement to preserving and presenting Stamford’s rich history to a wide variety of audiences.”

From film production to consulting

Macari ran the international television and production firm EagleVision for more than 20 years, producing programs and communications for major networks including CBS, PBS, NBC, and Discovery. His company also completed projects for major brands like Nestle Waters, Gartner, Bayer Healthcare, the Knights of Columbus, and Americares.

EagleVision was subsequently succeeded by EVTV, which produced many events and documentaries in both national and international locations. Macari’s credits include the 2015 documentary Unbreakable: Beyond Hope, Healing, which focused on the recovery of the Haitian people after the country suffered a devastating earthquake in 2010. The film won the Best Global Humanitarian Film honor at the Miami International Film Festival.

In the same year, Macari joined lifelong friend and Stamford attorney Joseph Richichi to produce Stamford: A Small Town Remembers, chronicling their hometown’s history from the 1600s to the early 21st century. The film debuted at five sold-out performances locally before entering the archives of what was then the Stamford Historical Society.

Macari’s work in this field earned him more than 40 awards for production, writing, and technical achievement. He was also honored as one of America’s Top 100 Communications Producers by Audio Visual magazine.

For the decade prior to taking the role at the Stamford History Center, Macari led MMC Communications. This communications and marketing consulting firm served several Catholic high schools in Connecticut and New Jersey, as well as several other clients in the Northeast.

Macari has also worked with a variety of local organizations, including as a founding member of Level the Playing Field, which serves children and families with special needs. He has also done work to assist Trinity Catholic, the Church of the Holy Spirit in Stamford, and Springdale Little League, and formerly served as commissioner of parks and recreation for Stamford.

Looking to the future

The Stamford History Center says Macari hopes to “instill pride in Stamford as one of America’s truly great, modern small cities.” Some of his goals include improving historical exhibitions and events, improving the center’s visibility in the community, and expanding educational programs for elementary through high school students.

Macari succeeds Tom Zoubek, who announced his retirement in May. A specialist in archaeology, Zoubek had led the organization since 2002. In addition to his role at the Stamford History Center, he served as chair of the Modern Languages Department at King and Low-Heywood Thomas School in Stamford Connecticut. 

Founded in 1901, the Stamford History Center was incorporated in 1908 as the Stamford Historical Society. The organization changed its name in 2017.

Serving as the municipal historian of Stamford, the Stamford History Center is an educational and research institution “whose primary functions are to collect, conserve, interpret, and share artifacts and information relating to greater Stamford, to engage citizens in the telling of their stories.” It is located in the former Martha Hoyt School, a brick schoolhouse built in 1984.

Expanded coverage of Fairfield County cultural events is made possible with support from the Fairfield University Quick Center for the Arts