Ken Fischer Named UMS President Emeritus at UMS Annual Board Meeting

The University Musical Society (UMS) hosted its annual meeting of the UMS Board of Directors on Tuesday, June 27, electing five new Board members and four officers. The Board also named Kenneth C. Fischer as president emeritus, honoring his 30-year tenure and his legacy of exceptional leadership and innovation. Fischer retired from UMS on June 30; his successor, Matthew VanBesien, formerly the president of the New York Philharmonic, took over on Wednesday, July 5.

In addition to bestowing Fischer with the title president emeritus, the UMS Board of Directors presented him with a 10-day cruise of the Great Lakes and a Shinola watch, as well as lifetime tickets to UMS. Incoming president Matthew VanBesien attended the meeting and spoke warmly of Ken's generosity in welcoming him to the position.

As part of the annual meeting, the Board elected five new Board members, whose four-year appointments officially begin in September: Ibrahim (Abe) Jarjoura, Barbara A. Kaye, Timothy G. Lynch, Knut A. Simonson, and Rob VanRenterghem. Biographies of all new Board members are listed at the end of this release.

The Board elected Sarah Nicoli to serve as chair; Tim Petersen, managing director at Arboretum Ventures, as vice-chair; Mark Clague, associate professor of musicology and director of entrepreneurship and career services at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance as secretary; and Lisa D. Cook, associate professor of international relations and economics at Michigan State University, as treasurer.

Additionally, the Board paid tribute to outgoing chair Stephen R. Forrest, who led the Search Committee in addition to serving as chair. Forrest will remain on the Board in an ex-officio capacity as immediate past-chair.

The Board recognized four retiring members for their outstanding service to UMS. These include Janet Callaway, Stephen R. Forrest, Donald Morelock, and David Parsigian. Retiring UMS Board members become members of the UMS Senate, a group of former UMS Board members who continue to assist in promoting UMS's mission.

Incoming board chair Sarah Nicoli said, "We are grateful to Steve Forrest for the leadership he has shown during this transition year. UMS has had an extraordinary year, and is on solid financial footing. I'm looking forward to working with Matthew and with all of the new Board members to continue the great work that UMS does in this community, and to continue to raise its profile nationally and internationally."

BOARD MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES
Ibrahim (Abe) Jarjoura is a dentist in Grand Blanc, where he's been in practice for the past 30 years. He graduated from Northwestern University Dental School in 1987 and obtained a research-based Master's degree in Biomaterials from the University of Michigan Dental School in 2004. Dr. Jarjoura is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Dental Association and Michigan Dental Association and is licensed to practice dentistry in Michigan and California. His daughters attend Pioneer High School and Lawton Elementary, and his wife Therese is a painter and a member of Ann Arbor Women Artists. As a Palestinian who was raised in Israel, Dr. Jarjoura possesses a great perspective on and the value of coexistence and diversity.

Barbara A. Kaye is a corporate partner at the law firm of Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn LLP. Her practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and financings for entrepreneurial, strategic, and private-equity clients, spanning industries from automotive to gaming to professional sports teams. At Honigman, she also serves as vice chair of the firm's corporate department and previously served as chair of the firm's Committee on Women Attorney Initiatives. An honors graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, Ms. Kaye was a contributing editor to the Michigan Law Review and a clerk for the Honorable Charles Levin of the Michigan Supreme Court.

Timothy G. Lynch is the University of Michigan's vice president and general counsel. Lynch joined the University from the U.S. Department of Energy, where he was designated by the president to serve as acting general counsel and deputy general counsel for litigation and enforcement. He previously served as an assistant chief litigation counsel at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and as an assistant United States attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. Before his government service, Tim was an attorney at the Washington, D.C. law firm of Shea & Gardner; clerked for Judge Cornelia G. Kennedy of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; and graduated from Georgetown University, where he was editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Law Journal. Lynch has taught at the University of Virginia Law School, the Georgetown University Law Center, and the University of Michigan Law School. He is married to Lisa Gallin Lynch and has three children: Seamus, Fiona, and Caitlin.

Knut A. Simonsen is senior vice president of DTE Gas Storage and Pipelines, an operating unit of DTE Energy, where he is responsible for driving growth and business strategy for the company. Simonsen joined DTE Energy in 2000 from McKinsey & Company's Dallas office, where he served as a management consultant specializing in the energy industry. Prior to McKinsey, Simonsen was project manager for Texaco, based in New York, with responsibility for project development in the Americas and Europe. Simonsen also served as assistant treasurer in the Project Finance group of Den Norske Bank in New York, with responsibility for project financings in wind, hydro, wood, and gas-fired power projects. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University in New York.

Rob VanRenterghem has helped fuel the growth and success of dynamic companies for over 20 years. He has served at the executive level at Kraft Foods and Gordon Food Service, and recently as vice president of product management at Domino's Pizza. VanRenterghem holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hope College and a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University and maintains his lifelong passion for learning by engaging in various continuing education programs. He volunteers with a number of organizations, including Habitat for Humanity and Rotary's STRIVE Mentoring Program. He and his wife Cynthia live in Ann Arbor along with their four children.

ABOUT UMS
A recipient of the 2014 National Medal of Arts, UMS (also known as the University Musical Society) contributes to a vibrant cultural community by connecting audiences with performing artists from around the world in uncommon and engaging experiences. One of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, UMS is an independent non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Michigan, presenting over 70 music, theater, and dance performances by professional touring artists each season, along with over 100 free educational activities. UMS is committed to bold artistic leadership, engaged learning through the arts, and access and inclusiveness. Since 1990, the organization has co-commissioned and supported the production of nearly 80 new or reimagined works.

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