Ken Neufeld Appointed New President & CEO Of Victoria Theatre Association

Victoria Theatre Association/Arts Center Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Lou Mason announced today that Ken Neufeld has been appointed the new President & CEO of Victoria Theatre Association and the Arts Center Foundation. A 28-year veteran in executive management of performing arts centers, professional theatre companies, and civic museums both in Canada and the United States, Neufeld's appointment comes after a broad search process that began in October 2008. He will start his new role leading one of Dayton's largest arts organizations on June 1, 2009.

"We're very confident of Ken's ability to lead the organization through trying economic times into a very bright future," Board chair Lou Mason enthused. "His skills as an astute and capable strategic planner, fundraiser, and financial manager are considerable. We're thrilled to have him at the helm."

"We were looking for someone with a broad management background who could be a real leader, collaborator and facilitator in the arts community --- and we've found that in Ken," stated Dale Medford, chair of the search committee for the Board of Trustees.

In accepting the position, Mr. Neufeld stated: "I am thrilled to be joining Victoria Theatre Association and the Arts Center Foundation as their next President and CEO and am relishing the opportunity to lead this exciting and important organization. I consider myself most fortunate to be joining an association that has such a committed, engaged and energetic Board of Trustees; a highly professional, talented and capable staff; an impressive array of arts programming; and truly some of the finest, world-class facilities that I have seen anywhere on this continent. I am also most impressed to observe the high level of community support for the arts and I believe that Victoria Theatre Association has a significant role to play in bringing vitality to downtown Dayton. I am looking forward to leading this organization and to participating with the community in its endeavors to sustain a vigorous arts scene."

Neufeld has worked with such acclaimed theatres as Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, New York; Gateway Theatre in Richmond, British Columbia; The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company, and the Vancouver Museum and Planetarium Association. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Environmental Studies from the University of Winnipeg, and a Masters degree in Theatre from Michigan State University. He has also completed continuing education programs at the Banff Center, Banff, Alberta and the Harvard Business School. Neufeld has also been an adjunct faculty member or guest lecturer for the Banff Center, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY and Buffalo State College, NY where he taught a course entitled "The Business of the Performing Arts".

Neufeld has developed a national reputation for successfully diversifying audiences and expanding programming to include under-served and non-traditional audiences. He was widely acknowledged as one of the leading presenters of Asian programming in the Pacific Northwest during his time there. A creative thinker in dealing with economic downturns and urban revitalization, Neufeld has a reputation for being a collaborative arts and community partner with a track record in studying ways to share services for increased efficiency.

As an active community volunteer, Neufeld served as President of Buffalo's Theatre District Association, as Board member of the Market Arcade Film and Arts Center, as Treasurer of the Vancouver Cultural Alliance and as President of Tourism Richmond.

He is married to Lesley Neufeld who is currently Assistant Director at the Martin House Restoration Corporation, a non-profit organization undertaking a $50 million restoration of Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin D. Martin House in Buffalo, New York, where her background as an exhibit content developer and interior designer has been applicable to her role as coordinator for the construction of a new visitor welcome center designed by world-renowned architect Toshiko Mori. For the MHRC, Ms. Neufeld also facilitates museum planning and manages the organization's corporate, fund raising and marketing communications.

Ken and Lesley Neufeld both believe in the role that the arts play in creating a strong, vibrant community and are committed to making a lasting contribution to the Greater Dayton area.

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