Gulfshore Playhouse Hires Industry Expert For New Chief Financial Officer Role

Gulfshore Playhouse has announced the hiring of a Chief Financial Officer, a new position at the Theatre. Joseph Rudder will join the organization beginning July 14, 2025 as CFO with a main focus on strategic financial planning. 

“We are delighted to augment our leadership team and support our growth by the addition of the important position of CFO,” said Kristen Coury, Founder, CEO and Producing Artistic Director. “After an extensive nationwide search, we knew that Joey would be a great cultural fit, as well as be the brains behind our financial strategies and enhanced reporting that is required now that we are in the new Baker Theatre and Education Center.” 

Joey Rudder is currently the CFO/COO with Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia. In this role, he oversees all financial, operational, and human resource matters for the museum including internal and external financial reporting, budgeting, payroll, investments, and facilities projects and all staff associated with these departments.

Before joining Telfair Museum of Art in 2014, Joey worked for 12 years for both non-profit and for-profit/retail organizations in Savannah, including Friedman's Jewelers, The Landings Club, Royce Learning Center and Portman's Music. This broad range of experience has enabled him to focus his work on non-profit financial success, budget development, strategic planning, and process improvement.

Before moving to Savannah in 2002, Joey attended the University of Kentucky where he was a member of and the Treasurer for the school's Clay Target Team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, and then worked as the office manager for a local Internet Service Provider before his move to Savannah.

Joey currently resides on Wilmington Island in Savannah with his wife, Ashely, a Registered Nurse specializing in orthopedic surgery and their two sons, Lucas and Drew. The family will make the move to Naples in the coming months.

“I am thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to join Gulfshore Playhouse as its CFO. It is an exciting time in the organization, with the recent opening of the Baker Theatre and Education Center, to be joining and working alongside such an energetic and passionate team as we look to expand the impact of the art of theatre in Southwest Florida,” said Rudder.     

Rudder joins after the first season in the new Baker Theatre and Education Center and will help usher in the next chapter of the theatre's growth. 

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