Arsht Center Names Former Civil Rights Activist First African American Chair

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County launched its 12th anniversary season with the election of a new slate of officers for the Performing Arts Center Trust (PACT) board of directors.

Ira D. Hall has been elected PACT Chair. Hall's extensive business and finance experience includes tenures as President and CEO of UCM, L.P., Treasurer of Texaco Inc. and various executive positions of increasing responsibility at IBM.

"I am excited to be at the Chair of a robust, successful organization that enhances the sense of well-being for the diverse audiences of the Arsht Center," said Hall.

Also elected as PACT Board officers: Chair-Elect Aileen Ugalde, vice president and general counsel of the University of Miami and secretary to the University of Miami's Board of Trustees and Assistant Treasurer Pierre R. Apollon, a licensed civil engineer, entrepreneur and corporate real estate executive who currently serves as the vice president of business development for K. L. McCaul. They will join Treasurer Matilde Aguirre, Secretary Richard Milstein, and Assistant Secretary Evelyn Greer, who were re-elected to their existing positions on the board for the 2017-2018 year.

A member of the PACT board since 2013, Hall is also a trustee emeritus of Stanford University, the past Chairman of the Board of the Executive Leadership Council and recently completed a 20-year tenure on the board of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Hall, a lifelong community activist, has made it his personal mission to ensure access to the arts is a key part of a student's educational journey and was drawn to join the Center's board in a leadership position because of programs like the Arsht Center's Learning through the Arts, as well as the diverse programming that welcomes the entire Miami-Dade community.

In his youth, Hall was inspired to play the saxophone and has been a part of multiple bands throughout his life and during his days at Stanford University. His love of the arts has deep family ties from his mother's days as a member of the Oklahoma City Symphony guild to his daughters' careers in music. Hoping to instill a love of the arts and inspire a new generation, Hall has raised funds and coordinated school field trips for underserved students in Miami-Dade and Broward to see films such as Selma and Hidden Figures. Back at his alma mater, Hall created the Ira D. Hall Fellowship to provide financial support for African-American MBA candidates at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Also at Stanford, he endowed a scholarship through the Jackie Robinson Foundation for a star student and recently endowed an annual award for outstanding public leadership under the age of 30.

Set in the heart of downtown Miami and designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is one of the world's leading performing arts organizations and venues. Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has emerged as a leader in presenting innovative programming that mirrors South Florida's diversity as well as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area. Spotlighting legends and serving as a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage, the Center presents nearly 500 events each year across its flexible, state-of-the-art performance spaces. The Center programs 12 signature series, including the largest jazz series in South Florida, the biggest flamenco festival on the East Coast, and a robust program of new theatrical works as well as free programming for the community and an arts education program that serves nearly 60,000 children each year. As Miami's new Town Square, the Arsht Center also houses Brava by Brad Kilgore, a fine dining restaurant; the Café at Books & Books in the historic Carnival Tower and a weekly Farmers Market. Visit www.arshtcenter.org for more information.