Kravis Center Board Of Directors Taps New CEO

After an extensive national search, the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts Board of Directors announced Terrence W. Dwyer will take the helm of Palm Beach County's cultural crown jewel, starting on January 11 as CEO. When the Kravis Center's first and only CEO, Judith Mitchell, announced her retirement earlier this year, the stage was set for the first time in nearly 30 years for new leadership.

"We are thrilled to welcome Terry Dwyer as the next CEO of the Kravis Center," stated Jeff Stoops, Chairman of the Board of the Kravis Center. "When our beloved Judy Mitchell announced her retirement, we knew that her successor would need to be a person with extraordinary vision, experience and ability to lead us into the future, and we found that person in Terry. His accomplishments at the Segerstrom Center during his tenure as CEO were remarkable in an area, Orange County, CA, that shares many similarities with the geographic market served by the Kravis Center. Terry brings not only a history of, but a current passion for, excellence, community engagement, creativity and continuous improvement that has us all very excited and energized. Combining Terry's leadership with our stellar management team makes for a very bright future for the Kravis Center."

Dwyer arrives at the Kravis Center via Palm Desert, CA, as the former president of Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a 13-year role that he left with a strong legacy of artistic achievement, community engagement and financial stability. Known as that county's most prominent cultural institution, the internationally acclaimed Segerstrom Center boasts a more than $60 million budget; 47 Board members; industry-leading community programs; successful capital projects; three resident companies; and acclaimed Broadway, jazz, cabaret, international dance, classical music, contemporary theater and other ambitious performance series.

From 2006-2019 Dwyer oversaw the Segerstrom Center's performance, community engagement and education programs, strategic planning and financial results - with the Center notably raising more than $140 million as part of its capital and endowment campaigns. Under his leadership, the Segerstrom Center's relationship to its community was transformed through such projects as the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza -- a community gathering place for all of Orange County with free events, performances and community projects; The Center Without Boundaries - which featured art-based community partnerships to support the goals of such partner organizations as Alzheimer's OC, CHOC Children's Hospital, Central Culture de Mexico and Camp Pendleton among others; and the Center for Dance and Innovation - which helped develop world premieres and was home to a variety of audience development initiatives as well as the School of Dance and Music for Children with Disabilities, and the American Ballet Theater/William J. Gillespie School of Ballet, both featuring robust scholarship programs to ensure access by the entire community.

In addition to his tenure at the Segerstrom Center, Dwyer has also held leadership roles with such notable venues as the La Jolla Playhouse, The Alley Theatre, The McCallum Theatre, and the Circle Repertory Company.

"I am thrilled to be joining the Kravis Center as its new CEO," said Dwyer. "The excellence of the Center's artistic and community programs, and the strength of the organization developed under Judy's leadership, is widely acknowledged. There is an undeniable hunger in these challenging times for the entertainment, inspiration and community connections provided by those programs. I am excited for the opportunity to help ensure the Kravis Center's continued artistic success and ever-increasing impact throughout its diverse county."

Despite the challenge of the pandemic, the Kravis Center continues to reach the community through its Kravis @ Home and Kravis Classroom Connection programming. The Kravis Center's smaller Rinker Playhouse venue has also just begun offering socially distant performances and upcoming community events are scheduled in the ballroom.

"With programs that already reach throughout Palm Beach County," continued Dwyer, "the Kravis Center is well positioned to respond to the changing needs of its community. As we look toward emerging from the pandemic, it will be wonderful to again share the Kravis Center's many exciting artistic and education programs with such a supportive community. The new year will also be the perfect time to tell a new story about the evolving role the Kravis Center will play in the future of Palm Beach County."

Dwyer holds an MFA in Theater Management from Yale's School of Drama, a MA in directing from University of Missouri and his BA from University of Notre Dame. He moves to Palm Beach County with his wife, Amy, and says he and his family are eager to become actively involved in the community.

"I want to be among the first to welcome Terry Dwyer to the Kravis Center. I could not have been happier when I heard the news that Terry would be succeeding me", said Judy Mitchell, the current CEO of the Kravis Center. "I have known Terry professionally for many years and watched him achieve great success in a number of performing arts venues. I will rest easy in retirement knowing that the Kravis Center will have excellent leadership not only with Terry but with the amazing senior leadership team he will inherit. I am looking forward to being a very active patron".

"The CEO Search Committee is very pleased with the results of our national search to replace our outstanding retiring CEO", commented Mike Bracci, Chairman of the CEO Search Committee and Kravis Board member. "In spite of the challenging COVID-19 environment, we were able to meet a number of incredibly talented candidates from across the country. We think having the opportunity to bring in the next Kravis CEO with the depth of experience and talent of a Terry Dwyer is an amazing result."

The Kravis Center is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, FL. The Center's mission is to enhance the quality of life in Palm Beach County by presenting a diverse schedule of national and International Artists and companies of the highest quality, by offering comprehensive arts education programs - serving nearly 3 million students since its inception; by providing a Palm Beach County home for local and regional arts organizations to showcase their work; and by providing an economic catalyst and community leadership in West Palm Beach, supporting efforts to increase travel and tourism to Palm Beach County. For general information about the Kravis Center, please visit kravis.org.

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