Great Lakes Center for the Arts Appoints New Executive Director
The Great Lakes Center for the Arts’s board of directors has selected Marie Klopf to serve as its next Executive Director.
Klopf comes to the Center after a decade as President and CEO of the Ann Arbor Art Center, where she recently completed a successful capital campaign and a significant space expansion. Before becoming an arts administrator, she founded iSupplyCon, where she provided strategic advisory and business development services to a variety of businesses throughout Michigan. She has a Masters in Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.
Upon assuming the role on July 9, Klopf will manage the day-to-day operations of the Center as it celebrates its fifth anniversary season of performing arts programming. She will also play a significant role in the stewardship of the Center’s donors and provide strategic direction to staff in programming, fundraising, marketing, and community engagement.
Klopf succeeds Jill O’Neill, who retired in May after leading the organization since its founding in 2014 and grand opening in 2018. In collaboration with an active board of directors, she has built an engaged staff, completed the initial capital campaign for the Center’s construction, cultivated a loyal family of supporters, and overseen five seasons of performing arts programming.
“I’m honored to join the talented team at the GLCFA and look forward to its impressive season of performance,” says Klopf. “My husband John and I are enthusiastic about making Northern Michigan our home.”
Klopf’s appointment as Executive Director is the culmination of a six-month national search led by Kathy Oswald, the chair of the Center’s board of directors and a veteran human resources executive.
“We are proud to have received the input of several stakeholders during the search process,” Oswald says. “Many members of the Great Lakes Center for the Arts community have given input to this process. Following a comprehensive evaluation, our search committee unanimously and enthusiastically recommended Marie.”
The process was co-led by the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland, which identified and evaluated an initial selection of suitable candidates. Finalists were recently invited to Northern Michigan to meet with staff, board, and other major stakeholders.
“I was proud to be a part of the search committee where we began with more than 80 applicants from around the country,” remarked David Johnson, Founding Chairman of the Great Lakes Center for the Arts. “Her strong business background and passion for mission-driven leadership will greatly benefit the Center. We’re thrilled to welcome her to Bay Harbor.”
Michael M Kaiser, Chairman of the DeVos Institute, will continue to serve as the Center’s Artistic Director.“It will be a great pleasure to collaborate with Marie Klopf. Marie brings a great deal of experience and passion to the Great Lakes Center for the Arts and is certain to help the Center build its audience and its donor base,” says Kaiser.
About Great Lakes Center for the Arts
Centrally located in Northern Michigan, the Great Lakes Center for the Arts includes a beautifully crafted, intimate 525-seat theater housing a large stage with state-of-the-art features that meet the demands of internationally acclaimed artists and companies.
When the curtain rose on Center Stage for the first time on July 7, 2018, the Great Lakes Center for the Arts became a cultural and social hub in Northern Michigan by offering exceptional performing arts and educational programming. Since then, the Center is proud to have had an impact that has rippled through Michigan and beyond by:
Hosting more than 75,000 visitors, including 15,000 K-12 students.
Presenting more than 150 events, including concerts, dance, musical theater, film, speakers, and free youth educational offerings through the Next Gen program.
Featuring notable artists including Gladys Knight, Canadian Brass, Judy Collins, LeAnn Rimes, Vanessa Williams, Vienna Boys Choir, Chris Thile, the Joffrey Ballet, Michael Feinstein, Pink Martini, Bob Saget, and more.
Offering free strings music education to students in more than 40 schools through theDorothy Gerber Strings Program.
The Center completed its $28.5 million capital campaign for the construction of the Center in January 2022. Over the next five years, the Center seeks to be recognized as a leading Midwest performance arts presenter and provider of broadened cultural opportunities.
The Center's mission is to inspire, entertain, educate, and serve all in Northern Michigan year-round by presenting exceptional experiences across the full spectrum of the performing arts.
The Great Lakes Center for the Arts is a 501(c)3 charitable organization with an independent board of directors.
To learn more, visit www.greatlakescfa.org
