Niagara Symphony appoints a new Executive Director

The news came in late this week the Niagara Symphony has found and appointed a new Executive Director, after a lengthy search process that began many months ago. The new man at the helm (and I find it interesting it will be a man at the helm for the first time in many years) is J.M. (Jack) Mills. At least, he will be come August 1st.

Mr. Mills comes with some pretty impressive credentials on his calling card: he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Ottawa; an honours degree in Music Education from the University of Toronto; and he is currently a management consultant in both the not-for-profit and private sectors. He has extensive experience in orchestra and concert facility management, including: President and CEO of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra; various senior positions with the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, including Managing Director of both the orchestra and programming for the NAC, Managing Director of Finance, Administration and Facility Operations, and Acting Director General of the National Arts Centre. The list continues with these positions held by Mr. Mills over the years: Executive Director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Denver Symphony Orchestra and Senior Administration for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Oh, and let's not forget the senior administrative positions with the Canada Council for the Arts and the fact he has been a freelance musican and concert producer in the past, too.

Whew! That's quite a list! I wonder how many other people applied for the position and how their qualifications compare. But as far as Patricia Hodge, President of the NSA Board is concerned, in a release sent out this week, "...Jack had the qualities and executive experience to lead this organization and we're thrilled he has accepted the position." In other words, there is no comparision; Mr. Mills is clearly the right man at the right time for the job at hand, according to the Board.

Let's hope so. This is a difficult time for any arts organization given the financial meltdown North America has experienced the past year. And especially so for the Niagara Symphony, as they struggled to get their financial house in order under the joint leadership of Candice Turner-Smith and Alan Dyer the past 20 months or so. The two have been largely successful, but being interim leaders of the organization is never a good thing, as you know a period of transition is underway, with more surely to come. But I hope the main thing to come out of this appointment is stability and forward movement for an organization very much in need of both right now.

Don't get me wrong: I have felt both Candice and Alan held things together admirably well, but now it is time, especially with the conductor search now fully underway, for a permanent Executive Director to be in place. One wonders, though, if Mr. Mills would have chosen the four candidates for the position of conductor auditioning next season with the symphony. or if that even matters. I know from what I have seen and read, all four candidates for the position are well qualified and obviously sold themselves well enough during the interview process. Let's just hope at the end of the upcoming season, we have a new conductor, a new Executive Director and an NSA Board all happy with each other and willing to work together to make the orchestra even better than it is now.

And that's the key: we have the nucleus of a very good, exceptionally talented group of musicians who have shown they can respond to new ideas and new directions over the past season. You have to think they want this, too. They want the stability, too, so people on both sides of the stage are working for the betterment of the organization. The upcoming season promises to be very interesting to watch...

You know, it's funny. I had a very influential business person in Niagara suggest I should go after the position of Executive Director myself when the position came up some time ago. Although I was tempted to pursue the matter, I'm glad I didn't. For one thing, I couldn't compete with the credentials Mr. Mills clearly brings to the table. I bring passion for an orchestra deserving of same, as do many if not all who are associated with the Niagara Symphony. But I also know we needed someone uniquely qualified to take the reigns of this organization and guide it to new heights, while drawing on a wealth of past experience. That is something I could not do, so I will be happy to be a supporter of the orchestra in the future through my business, A Web of Fine Music.

How my business fits into the overall scheme of things with the new management remains to be seen, of course, but I remain optimistic. We all should be. Mr. Mills gives us all hope of better days ahead, and that, as they say in the Mastercard commercials, is priceless.

Good Luck, Jack!

May 16th, 2009.