Patrick Quinn is New Executive Director of Actors' Equity

The Council of Actors' Equity Association (Equity) today announced the appointment of Patrick Quinn as the Union's Executive Director, effective October 5, 2006.  Quinn, who for the last six years served as the Union's President, succeeds Alan Eisenberg, who leaves after 25 years in the position.

In his new role, Quinn will direct the collective bargaining process for more than 30 national and regional contracts, oversee the Union's finances, supervise Equity's staff located in five offices, and represent AEA within the industry as well as to the public. In addition, he will serve as spokesperson for the union with media, labor and government officials.

"Patrick will make an excellent Executive Director, "said Equity First Vice President Mark Zimmerman. "His experience on Council spans almost 30 years as a consensus-builder, decision-maker and strategic architect of the Union's policies, vision and goals. He has been a successful working actor and he has learned the profession from the ground up. He understands what Equity stands for and the kind of leadership professional stage actors and stage managers need at this moment in the Union's history."

"I am proud to have been an Equity actor for over three decades, and now am deeply honored to have been chosen by my peers to lead Equity as its new Executive Director. I thank the Council for its confidence in me and I look forward to working with them and our fine Equity staff." said Quinn. "I will try to build on the firm foundation that Alan Eisenberg has laid for us over the last 25 years and I look forward to the many  challenges that lie ahead."

A native Philadelphian, Quinn began his Equity career in 1970. His credits include ten Broadway shows, such as A Class Act, The Sound of Music, Beauty and the Beast, Damn Yankees and Lend Me a Tenor. He was first elected to the Council, Equity's national governing body, in 1977. Since that time he has served as Third Vice-President, First Vice President and for 17 years chaired the Union's negotiating teams for its flagship Production Contract. In 2000, the membership elected him to the first of three terms as President.

Quinn is a founding member of Equity Fights AIDS and has served as the 2nd Vice President since 1993 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He is a trustee of The Actors' Fund of America, Equity-League Pension, Health and 401(k) Trust Funds, the Actors' Equity Staff Pension Plan, and serves as Secretary of the Actors' Equity Foundation and a delegate to the Associated Actors and Artistes of America.

"I am very pleased that Patrick will be the new Executive Director. I worked closely with him for the six years of his presidency and I know he will lead this Union with strength and integrity," said Alan Eisenberg of his successor. "He has demonstrated his leadership through a number of important events such as September 11th and the theater community's effort to help New York City rebuild, the Musicians' strike on Broadway and Equity's Production Contract negotiations.

Actors' Equity Association is the national union representing 45,000 stage actors and stage managers. It is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with the International Federation of Actors (FIA), a worldwide organization of performing arts unions.

Visit www.actorsequity.org for more information.