The Wallis Elects Steve Cochran, Ron Simms & Regina Weingarten to Board of Directors

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts' Chairman of the Board of Directors, David C. Bohnett, announced the election of Steve Cochran, Ron Simms and Regina Weingarten to the company's Board of Directors.

"Steve, Ron and Regina share a strong dedication to arts advancement and bring an impressive combined experience serving in both local and international leadership positions that will prove invaluable to The Wallis as we continue to further develop into a premier world-class performing arts institution," said Mr. Bohnett. "Our three new board members join an already generous and engaged Board of Directors, and along with the recent appointments of Paul Crewes as Artistic Director and Rachel Fine as the new Managing Director, it is indeed a very exciting time for The Wallis."

Steve Cochran is the Founder and Managing Member of Classic Comforts, LLC, a personal buyer of art and antiques for private clients. Mr. Cochran was an Account Executive at Bentley Mills, Inc. beforehand for eight years. He is a faithful supporter of the Maestro Foundation and the LA Philharmonic, where he is a member of the Board of Overseers. Mr. Cochran also serves on the Board and Architectural Committee of Sunset Doheny Homes Association. He studied piano performance at the University of Arkansas and History at Duke University and plays harpsichord and cello.

Ron Simms has been extensively involved in all aspects of real estate commercial development for over 35 years, having developed and acquired approximately 2 million square feet of commercial real estate. Mr. Simms also practiced as an attorney and CPA for 6 years prior to his full-time involvement in real estate. As the Vice-President of the Simms/Mann Family Foundation, Mr. Simms and his wife Dr. Vicki Simms were instrumental in launching the Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center at the Venice Family Clinic and the Simms/Mann UCLA Center of Integrative Oncology, both free to all patients. Mr. Simms is currently active on the Board of Governors at Cedars Sinai Hospital and serves on the National Board of the FIDF. As an avid fisherman, Mr. Simms is a member of the Trustees for Alaska, a group concerned with preserving the environment. Mr. Simms and his wife Dr. Simms have resided in Beverly Hills, CA for the last 35 years.

Regina Weingarten has spent her lifetime dedicated to the appreciation and advancement of the arts. Born in Portugal and raised in France, Ms. Weingarten attended Stanford University where she met her husband, Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, Vice-President and Co-Director of the Annenberg Foundation. After returning to Europe, Ms. Weingarten received her Doctorate in Portuguese Language and Civilizations from the Sorbonne. Ms. Weingarten has served on boards or advisory committees for various organizations including Les Talens Lyriques, Paris Opera and Ballet, Ecole Jeannine Manuel, London, School of American Ballet, The Louvre, Musée des arts Décoratifs and the Royal Opera House. Most recently, Ms. Weingarten was elected to the board of LA Opera. As a result of her contributions to the arts, Ms. Weingarten received the prestigious distinction of Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur. In June, 2015, after living in Paris with their two children, Mr. and Ms. Weingarten moved to Los Angeles.

About the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Since opening its doors in October 2013, The Wallis has produced or presented over 100 dance, theatre, opera, classical music and children's programs to an ever expanding audience. Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, The Wallis brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music, performed by many of the world's most talented and sought-after artists. Featuring eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its notability as the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis offers original and revered works from across the U.S. and around the globe. The mission of The Wallis is to be a vital cultural hub that uses unique arts events and education programming to entertain, enlighten and inspire children and adults in our community and across the nation.

Nominated for 26 Ovation Awards, four L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Awards and the recipient of five architectural awards since opening in 2013, The Wallis is a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot venue that celebrates the classic and the modern and was designed by Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA of Studio Pali Fekete architects. The building features the restored, original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places) that serves as the theater's dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and houses the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater, GRoW at The Wallis: A Space for Arts Education (a gift of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family and the Annenberg Foundation) and the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Goldsmith Theater. Together, these structures embrace the city's history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for L.A.-area visitors and residents alike.

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