On behalf of the Nonprofit Practice of DHR International, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. James Houghton as the Chief Financial Officer for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. James brings to the role over 34 years of finance experience, most recently with two...
It's the turn of a new decade, and several social, technological, economic and political forces promise to shape the future of the nonprofit sector. Some are already in play - or have been for some time - and are already challenging nonprofit organizations. They have...
On behalf of the Nonprofit Practice at DHR International, I am pleased to announce the recent appointment of Dr. Len Valentino as the CEO for the National Hemophilia Foundation. Dr. Valentino has made it his life’s mission to improve the lives of those with bleeding disorders...
DHR International has been retained to conduct a search for a President & CEO for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO). In the last two seasons, the CSO has successfully finished with a surplus, increased ticket revenue by 26%, expanded community engagement activities, negotiated a new...
On behalf of the Nonprofit Practice at DHR International, I am pleased to announce the successful appointment of Mr. Daniel Alzuri as the Vice President, Operations for the Peace Center. Daniel brings to the role 20 years of experience in various theater operations functions, currently as...
DHR International has been retained to conduct a search for Chief Financial Officer for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. This is DHR's third engagement with the NJSO, following the recruitment of President & CEO (2016) and Vice President, Marketing and External Affairs (2019). The NJSO...
The most recent leadership transition at Planned Parenthood is troubling. In fact, unplanned leadership transitions at national nonprofit organizations, particularly chapter oriented organizations with strong-willed, quasi independent local/regional groups, are often rife with challenges – and unfortunately, not uncommon. The Red Cross suffered over a...
Nonprofit compensation committees often ask me, “Why should we offer severance to our incoming CEO; it protects the candidate, but what does it do for our organization?" And now they may ask, “What good did it do Fox; Bill O’Reilly had a severance agreement that...
The ASTC 2014 conference was held in Raleigh, home of the North Carolina Museum of Sciences. Dr. Emlyn Koster, who DHR recruited to his position, was the perfect host, opening up the expansive natural history museum and newly opened science center additions to...
The Plight of the White-Tie Worker By BLAIR TINDALL JULY 4, 200 That would be a lot in any case, but it's especially striking at a time when classical music finds itself on the ropes. For big American orchestras, audiences are declining, government and private donations have...
This past week I posted the NY Times article announcing the New York Philharmonic's new president, Deborah Borda who is 67 years old and openly gay. I remarked that we have come a long way - age, gender, and sexual orientation did not matter when...
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a responsibility to the public to provide "fair and reasonable" compensation to its executives - and it is not doing a good job. Best practices call for a nonprofit board to hire an independent compensation consulting firm that compares the...
Why the Certificate in Cultural and Ethnic Arts Leadership Program is Different from the Others Posted on March 6, 2016 by James Abruzzo Why the Certificate in Diversity Arts Leadership and Ethnic Arts Leadership Program is Different from the Others The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs...
The Institute for Ethical Leadership presented the inaugural Certificate in Cultural and Ethnic Arts Leadership in June 2016. The program identified sixteen senior arts executives from underrepresented communities and provided instructions, mentorships and guidance to position them to CEO positions in major cultural and important...
The National Endowment for the Arts budget represents a minuscule percentage of the federal budget, but more importantly, it represents an insignificant amount of the total funding provided by the federal government to the arts. At roughly $148 million, some of which goes to overhead...
The ‘Hamilton’- Pence incident provoked another overwrought Trumpian bluster; but it’s also a case study about the ability of theater to influence. It illuminates the difference between song lyrics and prose and, ultimately, the difference between propaganda and the power of art to change the world. "Hamilton"...
A recent article by Boston Globe Spotlight reporter featured my comments on the complexities of nonprofit CEO compensation. There are many times when a CEO is overpaid, and when that happens it is unreasonable and unfair and the IRS should step in; more importantly, a...
Ethical lens #12. We need an ethical code for the performing arts. We were always on the precipice, but we've now begun the deep descent on the slippery slope. Last week at Carnegie Hall Keith Jarrett interrupted his performance on three occasions with snide criticism...
The Rutgers Institute for Ethical Leadership and Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation are pleased to announce that a new Rutgers Leadership Program selected six New Jersey arts professionals to be among the first class of a new training program designed to increase the diversity of the leadership...
In my role as a nonprofit compensation consultant and contract negotiator, I am usually retained by CEO's or boards to negotiate multi-year year, complex employment contract. Sometimes, I get a request for advice that, if I have time, I respond to. As you can see...
Ensuring outstanding management leadership is arguably the single most important responsibility of the nonprofit board. The CEO, more than any other person or group, manages the financial affairs and shapes the programmatic vision that keeps the organization solvent, accessible and relevant. Executive Summary Hiring a nonprofit CEO...
Holland Carter in his Museums and Morals essay in the New York Times conflates two important ideas about arts and ethics. However, while I agree with both, by doing so he mitigates the importance of each: His first thesis; there are dangers when corporations sponsor arts organizations or...
Recruiting and retaining a President is the major challenge facing the board of a zoo or aquarium. There are many factors that make the challenge even greater compared to a search for C-level executives in more traditional businesses; the zoo or aquarium board is responsible...
I am personally appealing to and challenging the arts leaders from underrepresented communities (that is, the communities that are not fully represented in the leadership of US arts organizations) to apply or nominate. The Certificate in Cultural and Ethnic Arts Leadership Program deadline is fast approaching and...
