Press RoomTim Rodgers Appointed Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of Phoenix Art Museum
Tim Rodgers Appointed Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of Phoenix Art Museum
Apr, 03, 2020
Media AlertsBoard of Trustees and Leadership
Tim Rodgers Appointed Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of Phoenix Art Museum
PHOENIX (April 3, 2020) – Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) announced today that it has appointed Timothy R. Rodgers, PhD, to serve as the Museum’s Sybil Harrington Director and CEO. Rodgers, who is currently Director of The Wolfsonian–Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, will assume his role at PhxArt, the leading and largest art museum in the southwestern United States, after July 1, 2020. Rodgers has deep roots in Arizona; prior to taking the helm of The Wolfsonian–FIU, Rodgers served for six years as Director of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and Vice President of the Scottsdale Cultural Council. He was selected following a national search led by a committee appointed by the Museum’s Board of Trustees and which included current and past Trustees and community leaders.
Rodgers
brings nearly 20 years of museum-leadership experience to Phoenix, including 11
years as a Museum Director. Since joining The Wolfsonian in 2015, Rodgers
oversaw the creation and implementation of a new strategic plan and expansion
for The Wolfsonian’s future, while raising more than $51 million dollars toward
the project’s $57 million capital campaign. In addition to securing an
additional $4.5 million in grants to advance the institution’s strategic
vision, during his tenure Rodgers also established The Wolfsonian Public
Humanities Lab, an MA and PhD academic program in Public Humanities, of which
he serves as co-director. Rodgers also grew The Wolfsonian’s collection by more
than 15,000 works, while overseeing a rigorous program of highly acclaimed
exhibitions and installations using objects and design as a lens through which
to explore the greater cultural world.
“Tim
is a seasoned director and scholar whose leadership experience and ability to bring
communities together made him the ideal candidate for Phoenix Art Museum. His
proven track record maintaining an institution’s financial and operational health,
combined with his knowledge of Greater Phoenix and the Southwest region, will be
crucial in helping the Museum weather this unprecedented global health crisis and
ensuring the Museum’s long-term sustainability,” said Mark Feldman, co-chair of
the Board of Trustees at Phoenix Art Museum. “We are grateful to have his
leadership at this challenging time, excited to welcome him back to Arizona,
and look forward to the Museum’s ability to endure this environment and grow under
his stewardship.”
“I am
honored to have been selected to serve as the next director of Phoenix Art
Museum,” said Rodgers. “I have long been an admirer of the Museum, dating back
to my early days as an undergraduate studying art history at Arizona State
University. I know that this is a challenging time for all museums as they
remain closed in order to protect the health and wellbeing of their staff and
community. However, I look forward to joining the incredible staff and patrons
who have made this museum a vibrant and welcoming destination for audiences of
all ages, and working together to ensure the institution is around for
generations to come while reaffirming its role as the premier art museum in
Arizona and the region.”
While
Director of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) from 2009-2015, Rodgers
oversaw an ambitious exhibition program. Under his leadership serving in a dual
role as Vice President of the Scottsdale Cultural Council, SMoCA launched a new
website, which dramatically increased SMoCA’s online attendance.
Rodgers
also served as Chief Curator of the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe from
2002-2009. Prior to that, he was a co-owner of Saints & Martyrs gallery in
Albuquerque, specializing in folk art and religious antiques. A life-long
educator, Rodgers served as an Associate Professor of Art History at Lawrence
University for several years before moving to the Southwest, where he then held
a Visiting Professor role at the College of Santa Fe. He received his undergraduate
degree from Arizona State University and completed his master’s degree and PhD
in Art History at Brown University.
“Tim
brings not only deep experience as a director, but as someone who has served
many roles inside a Museum, from security guard to art installer to educator
and curator, he provides invaluable insights into the key ways in which each of
these roles contribute to the Museum as a thriving cultural resource,” said Don
Opatrny, Museum Trustee and chair of the CEO search committee. “Tim understands
that the role of a Museum in the 21st century extends beyond the
walls of the galleries and into the community, as well as the challenges we are
facing in the current environment, and is committed to working with us to make
fiscally prudent decisions to mitigate the long-term financial impact of
COVID-19 on the Museum. His substantial management experience, combined with
his passion for art and his ability to engage intergenerational audiences, will
be instrumental to Phoenix Art Museum’s continued success.”
Rodgers
succeeds Amada Cruz, the Museum’s previous Sybil Harrington Director and CEO
who concluded her service at Phoenix Art Museum in July 2019 to become the
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Director and CEO at Seattle Art Museum. He takes the
helm from Mark Koenig, the Museum’s Chief Financial Officer, who has served as the
interim director since Cruz’s departure.
Dr.
Kenneth G. Furton, Provost, Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating
Officer of Florida International University, stated, “Dr. Rodgers has been
integral in opening the doors to new experiences for FIU students and faculty.
The Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab (WPHL), which Dr. Rodgers championed,
places our University at the forefront of an emerging field that will have an extraordinary
impact on the community. WPHL has infused a broader understanding of the human
condition, endowing students entering their careers with the values of social
impact along with the skills, resourcefulness, and ingenuity that set our FIU
Panthers apart.”
About Phoenix Art Museum
Since
1959, Phoenix Art Museum has provided millions of guests with access to
world-class art and experiences in an effort to ignite imaginations, create
meaningful connections, and serve as a brave space for all people who wish to
experience the transformative power of art. Located in Phoenix’s Central
Corridor, the Museum is a vibrant destination for the visual arts and the
largest art museum in the southwestern United States. Each year, more than
300,000 guests engage with critically acclaimed national and international
exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 20,000 works of American
and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern and contemporary
art, and fashion design. The Museum also presents a comprehensive film program,
live performances, and educational programs designed for visitors of all ages,
along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s
landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography, University of
Arizona. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah McNaughton / Alexander Droesch Resnicow and Associates smcnaughton@resnicow.com / adroesch@resnicow.com 212.671.5161 / 212.671.5154