Jun 02, 2009
Scott Provancher Named President of Arts & Science Council
Scott Provancher has been named president of the Arts & Science Council (ASC), it was announced today by ASC Board Chair Don Truslow. Provancher comes to Charlotte from the Fine Arts Fund (FAF) in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he is vice president and campaign director for the oldest and largest united arts and culture fundraising organization in the country. “Scott Provancher is one of the brightest and most creative young minds and leaders in the national arts industry and will well serve ASC, its cultural partners and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community,” said Don Truslow, board chair of ASC and part of the search committee that led the eight-month national search for a new president. Lee Keesler, who has served as ASC’s president since 2004, announced last fall his plans to retire June 30. “Scott is an innovative thinker who has exceptional management skills, outstanding fundraising abilities and a collaborative approach that reflects the needs of our diverse cultural community,” Truslow said. “He has a clear passion for art, science, history and heritage as evidenced by his career path, education and training, and special interests. We are excited to welcome him aboard.” At the Fine Arts Fund, Provancher managed and oversaw personnel, planning and resources to guide FAF in successfully raising $12.1 million for its annual campaign, completed in April 2009. During his three year tenure with FAF he also was responsible for leading key initiatives focused on growing audiences and participation for the arts and culture sector. Additionally, Provancher expanded the organization’s core mission in response to community priorities for future sustainability, led cultural participant research, and restructured FAF’s sales and marketing strategies and infrastructure to help increase fundraising revenue. “I am honored and thrilled to be joining ASC at this important time for the organization and Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s emergence as a cultural leader,” said Provancher, 32. “I have deep admiration for the work of ASC President Lee Keesler, ASC staff and its board of directors in leading this institution with integrity and vision during these challenging times. I look forward to working with the community’s leaders, citizens and cultural partners to help strengthen Charlotte’s cultural vibrancy now and into the future.”
Previously, Provancher had been a successful executive director for several symphony orchestras across the country. At the Louisville Orchestra, he managed the professional orchestra and its $7 million operating budget with 71 full-time musicians and 20 administrative staff; the orchestra served northern Kentucky and southern Indiana with 110 concerts per season. As executive director of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra in Rockford, Ill., he created a three-year strategic growth initiative that resulted in expanded artistic programming and increased revenue.
In 2000, Provancher was named an Orchestra Management Fellow with the American Symphony Orchestra League with whom he gained on-the-job orchestra management training at assignments including the San Francisco Symphony, Aspen Music Festival and School, and Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Provancher began his career with communications and development posts with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra in Syracuse, N.Y.
“Scott will bring a fresh perspective to ASC, yet in coming from an organization that is very much like ASC in its scope and mission he will assure a seamless transition in our changing leadership,” Truslow said. “Lee Keesler has been a tremendous asset for the cultural community for these past five years, and we thank him for his leadership, dedication and commitment.”
A long-time volunteer with years of community organization board positions, Keesler came to ASC from a career as a Wachovia executive. During his tenure as ASC president, Keesler played an important role in the planning and implementation of a cultural facilities endowment campaign for a $158.5 million uptown cultural campus on South Tryon Street that includes a new center city Mint Museum, a 1,200 seat Knight Theater, The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture along with renovations to Discovery Place and funding for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and North Carolina Dance Theatre. He also led ASC through a strategic planning process designed to reposition ASC to meet the needs of the growing and changing community.
Former ASC board chair Jennifer Appleby and ASC board of director member Charles Bowman co-chaired the search committee including 12 community and business leaders from Charlotte-Mecklenburg to identify and recommend a new president to the executive committee of the ASC board. The search committee raised funds to retain executive search firm The McAulay Firm to lead the search, which included a thorough process of interviews and reviews by the firm and search committee as well as approval by the ASC executive committee and ASC full board.
Provancher will assume his ASC responsibilities July 13, 2009. ASC is a non-profit organization that serves and supports Charlotte-Mecklenburg's cultural community through grant-making, planning, fundraising, programs and services to creative individuals, neighborhood cultural projects, cultural education and institutions reflective of our diverse population to ensure a vibrant community enriched with arts, science, history and heritage.
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