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# Pier Restoration Corp. names interim director
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/pier-restoration-corp-names-interim-director/
- Published: 2002-07-16T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:31:12.000Z
- Author: Andrew Fixmer
- Tags: Business, Pier, #archive-import

*New pier director aims for smooth transition*

The Pier Restoration Corp. named a new executive director to guide the pier’s operations until a permanent replacement is found.

Ben Franz-Knight, 29, was officially hired at the PRC’s July 10 meeting to run the day-to-day business operation of the Santa Monica Pier until a replacement for Jan Palchikoff, who resigned her post as executive director last month, can be found. Monday was Franz-Knight’s first day on the job. the most dynamic historical buildings I have ever seen, the Hippodrome that houses the Carousel,” he said. “I view the pier as one of Santa Monica’s great assets and look forward to insuring that the pier provides all it can for this city by the sea.”

> “I view the pier as one of Santa Monica’s great assets and look forward to insuring that the pier provides all it can for this city by the sea.” — — BEN FRANZ-KNIGHT Acting Santa Monica Pier Executive Director

From Jan. 1999 to July 2001, Franz- Knight served as Palchikoff’s assistant and as the director of corporate sponsorship. He was hired because of his familiarity with the pier and its business functions, said PRC Chairman Michael Klein.

“We had five or six applicants for the interim spot,” Klein said. “He fit the best because he had been there before and a had a history with us already.”

Franz-Knight said his past experience with the pier will be an asset, especially having worked for Palchikoff.

“During that time I built solid relationships with many of the tenants on the pier, city staff and various other entities conducting business on the pier,” Franz- Knight said. “I developed an in-depth understanding of the pier as a place of business, as an event venue, as a place for a pleasant stroll, and as a cherished icon.”

Neither Franz-Knight nor Klein would say how much the salary for the position is even though it’s supposed to be public information.

“But it’s far less than we were paying (Palchikoff),” Klein said.

When Franz-Knight’s wife was offered an appointment as a professor at California Polytechnic at San Luis Obispo the couple decided it was too good an opportunity to turn down and Franz- Knight resigned his pier position.

But when Franz-Knight learned of Palchikoff’s resignation he decided to apply for the interim position and “come home.”

Franz-Knight said he plans to apply for the permanent position when the PRC begins accepting applications and begins its “nationwide” search for a new executive director.

“We also told him that if he wanted to he could apply for the permanent position,” Klein said. “He’s not guaranteed anything and we’re not bound by anything, but he’s more than welcome to go for it.”

Franz-Knight said just being able to work again on the pier again is a blessing.

“There are so many things about the pier that I find exciting,” he said. “The diversity of people, the carnival atmosphere, the soothing breeze that greets you when you reach the end of the pier and look out over the Pacific.

“The free concerts every Thursday night, to stand in the clean ocean air listing to good music as the sun sets and the moon shines on the pier.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 16, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/071602.pdf?ref=smdp.com)