Director

Paul W. Hibner

Paul was born and raised in NY on Long Island. After college he settled and raised a family in the New England area. Paul’s family has roots in Punta Gorda dating back to 1994, when his mother Marilyn Smith-Mooney (former Mayor of Punta Gorda and former President of the Military Heritage Museum) settled here. Paul and his wife Linda moved to Punta Gorda in 2020 and wish they would have established roots here in paradise sooner. Paul’s family has been sponsoring the museum since it opened its doors at Fishermen’s Village back in 2001. Paul maintains a Sustaining Membership and makes additional donations to the MHM annually in memory of his late mother.

Paul is an experienced technology executive with over 30 years of leadership in the electronics, enterprise system solutions, and cybersecurity industries. As former Vice President of Sales at ARIA Cybersecurity Solutions, Paul demonstrated a strong track record of shaping strategic direction, fostering long-term client and partner relationships globally, and driving profitable revenue growth. He possesses a deep technical expertise in semiconductor technology, cybersecurity, embedded computing, and communications, complemented by a proven ability to develop and execute complex business partnerships. Paul’s leadership style emphasizes integrity, collaboration, and innovation – values he applies consistently in guiding organizations toward sustainable and profitable growth through excellence in customer value and service.

In his retirement, Paul is passionate about giving back to the community. Paul holds a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering (BSECE) degree from Clarkson University and is committed to serving on boards that prioritize ethical governance, strategic vision, and innovation.

Although Paul is not a military veteran, his family has a proud heritage of military service to our country. Paul’s Dad, step fathers, and brother each served our country with service in the Coast Guard, Navy, Airforce, and Army. Paul’s brother’s uniform from his service in Desert Shield and Desert Storm is proudly displayed in the museum. Paul has a deep respect for our country’s rich military heritage and hopes to apply himself toward maintaining the MHM as a premier museum that allows folks to discover, connect with, and honor the United States Military and those that have served our country. 

On a personal note, Paul enjoys jet skiing, boating, fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling, traveling, golf, and cooking. He can often be found out in the Charlotte Harbor, traveling up the Peace River, or enjoying some fishing with his brother on the east coast of Florida.