The Arts and Education Council (A&E) announced today that C. Brendan Johnson, partner at Bryan Cave, LLP, has been elected as the nonprofit's new Board Chair. Johnson previously served as A&E board vice chair since 2016. A&E also announced six new board members: Mark C. Anderson, president, MCA Consulting; Sara Burke, founder, The City Studio Dance Center; Ken Haller, M.D., professor of pediatrics, Saint Louis University; Gordon Myers, senior vice president, U.S. Bank; Kit Sundararaman, principal, Edward Jones; and Paul Ziegler, J.D., executive director, EducationPlus.
With the exception of Sundararaman, their terms of service began at the nonprofit's annual board meeting on January 18. Sundararaman's term began in November 2017 with the departure of former board member Eric Koestner. Newly-elected Young Friends of the Arts President Adam Stanley, financial advisor at Edward Jones, will also be joining the board as an ex officio member. "We are thrilled to welcome Brendan as our new Board Chair. Under his leadership and with these new board members, A&E is positioned to better serve our dynamic community in the 21st century and enhance the ripple effect of the arts across the bi-state region, " said Cynthia A. Prost, A&E president and CEO. "I am honored to serve as Board Chair of the Arts and Education Council, an organization that recognizes and supports the power of the arts in our community," said Brendan Johnson, A&E Board Chair. "As chair, I welcome these community leaders to our board. They join a dedicated group of individuals who are committed to A&E's vision of shaping a vibrant arts community for all."About the Arts and Education Council: The Ripple Effect of the Arts. - The Arts and Education Council (A&E), is the St. Louis region's United Arts Fund providing financial, technical and educational support for arts organizations. A&E's mission is to build appreciation, participation and support for arts and arts education throughout the St. Louis community. A&E is the only privately funded arts umbrella organization that serves the 16-county, bi-state St. Louis region. A&E builds a thriving arts community and impacts millions of people through multi-faceted programs, including: Operating and Project Grants; Arts Education Grants for Teachers; Arts Incubation at the Centene Center for the Arts; a Catalyst Innovation Lab; a stARTup Competition for Arts Entrepreneurs; Katherine Dunham Fellowship; Art Education Fund; stARTup-StL Crowdfunding Platform; Arts Leadership Management Academy (ALMA); Executive Directors Roundtable; Arts Marketers Professional Development; the Annual St. Louis Arts Awards; and Young Friends of the Arts.
Since its inception in 1963, the Arts and Education Council has raised and distributed more than $100 million in private funding for the arts - a significant contribution that directly impacts the quality of life in our region. A&E meets all 20 Better Business Bureau Charity Standards and has earned the Wise Giving Seal of Approval, a three-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Guidestar Exchange Silver Participant rating.
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