The Smithsonian Institution has named John Gray, founding president of the Autry National Center of the American West, to lead the National Museum of American History, The Washington Post reported.

Gray retired from the Autry in late 2010. He served as executive vice president of First Interstate Bank of California in Los Angeles from 1987 to 1996. For two years he worked for the Small Business Administration in Washington. He will officially start July 23.