Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

November 10, 2021

Wadsworth Atheneum names Brown permanent CEO, divides leadership roles

HBJ PHOTO | MATT PILON The Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford.
By Zachary Vasile

The Wadsworth Atheneum announced Wednesday that it is splitting its CEO and director positions into two separate roles, and has named Jeffrey N. Brown, a former senior executive at Webster Financial Corp., as permanent chief executive.

In a statement, officials with the historic art museum said they are moving to a “distributed leadership model” to “better seize opportunities in a changing museum environment, consistent with [the Wadsworth Atheneum’s] evolutionary heritage.”

Under the new model, the museum’s CEO will be responsible for the overall leadership, vision and strategic direction of the organization and its staff. The director will report to the CEO and will be responsible for the artistic direction of the museum, steering collection management, exhibitions and educational programming activities.

Brown, who has served as interim CEO and director since April, will continue to hold both titles until a new director is named, likely in early 2022, officials said. He will remain on as CEO when the director position has been filled.

“The board has considered moving to this management structure for a number of years as other museums and performing arts institutions have implemented some version of distributed leadership,” said Gerard Lupacchino, interim board president of the Wadsworth. “A combination of opportunity and greater clarity through experience has inspired the Wadsworth Board to pursue this bold move. The Wadsworth will benefit from having expert leadership in both the general management and artistic direction of the museum. An increased set of skills, expertise and experience will maximize the potential of this 21st century, world-class museum.”

The Wadsworth Atheneum’s previous CEO and director, Tom Loughman, stepped down in April after five years with the Hartford institution. Wadsworth Board President William Peelle, who told the Hartford Courant in April that the museum had not done enough to engage with the Hartford community or update its image, also stepped down that same month.
 

Sign up for Enews

Most Recent

Most Recent

0 Comments

Order a PDF