Debbie Wreyford & Ken Winans holding their Russian spacesuit in the "Moon Room" © Novato Advance
The W Foundation (TWF) was founded in December, 2002 by Ken Winans and his wife Debbie Wreyford-Winans as a volunteer staffed & privately funded California non-profit corporation for space education (The “W” is for Winans and Wreyford.).
Two things sparked the “launch” of TWF:
- As space enthusiast and collectors, the Winans have been able to amass one of the largest private collections of U.S., Russian and Soviet space exploration artifacts in existence. As their “moon room” became an increasingly popular attraction for friends and family visiting their home, Ken and Debbie were asked to make presentations to local schools.
- In 1999, the Winans led the effort to give a long overdue local honor to San Francisco born Apollo Astronaut John Young. After a one-year campaign, a plaque was placed in the California Academy of Sciences near a moon rock that Capt. Young brought back from the moon.
They realize that there is a real need to help Bay Area museums & science centers develop space exploration exhibits to educate children about the exciting history of space exploration, and to increase the public’s understanding that a strong global commitment toward future manned space expeditions is an important key to accelerating our civilization’s development. This is especially important when you realize that California was the birthplace of the X-Planes, the Apollo Command Module, the Space Shuttle and the robotic rovers that are currently roaming Mars; and that over 200,000 Californians contributed to our nation’s endeavors in space exploration.
TWF currently supports the Chabot Space & Science Center and the USS Hornet Museum by providing funds and/or artifacts from its collection (that are otherwise not available to these institutions) to improve and expand their exhibits. In addition, The W Foundation periodically has exhibits in other parts of the San Francisco Bay Area dedicated exclusively to space exploration and thus honoring California’s role in its history.
The W Foundation in Action - This exhibit at Chabot Space & Science Center was funded by The W Foundation. The lunar Module Engine Bell above is one of many artifacts that The W Foundation lends to other organizations.
The Team
The W Foundation has a great group of dedicated volunteers and supporters from many different professions.
Board Members (In order of tenure):
Ken Winans – President, Winans International Investment Management
Debbie Wreyford - Investor, Former Film Producer & Production Executive
Marienne McClure - Senior Vice President, Smith Barney
Arlene Mose, CPA - Accountant
Dr. Mike Reynolds - Astronomer & Author; Director Emeritus, The Chabot Space & Science Center
Dan Miller - Managing Director, The Roda Group; Director, The Chabot Space & Science Center
Valerie Bunnell – President, Rocketman Productions
Advisory Board Members (In order of tenure):
Mark Annis, President
Doug Howell - Space Artifact Collector
Gary Hanauer – Public Relations
Dr. Jim Busby - Space Historian
Capt. Richard Gordon (ret.) - Astronaut & Businessman
Gary Gorka - Educator
Scott Greenhill - Recording Industry
Bill Pullman - Actor & Director
Dr. Millie Hughes Fulford - Astronaut & Scientist
