Sarasota Opera Names New Board Members

Victor DeRenzi, Sarasota Opera's artistic director and Richard Russell, general director, have announced the addition of six new members to the organization's Board of Trustees — David Bialosky, Joseph Mallof, Sue Neumann, Alastair Hunter-Henderson, Tamara Jacobs, and Thomas Garden.

David Bialosky has been a patron and donor of Sarasota Opera since 2020. He and his wife, Carolyn Christian, split their time between Peninsula, Ohio and their home on Bird Key. Bialosky is from Ohio and recently retired from Goodyear as the executive vice president and general counsel. He is the former executive vice president and general counsel at TRW, a German technology company for personal and commercial vehicles. He is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and Dartmouth College.

Joseph Mallof is a business executive with broad international experience, recently serving as the CEO of the housewares company, World Kitchen LLC, in Chicago. He and his wife, Dede, retired to Sarasota and have attended and contributed to Sarasota Opera since 2016. He has been an adjunct professor at both Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois and at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. He holds degrees from Fordham University, the University of Chicago and Purdue University.

Currently, Mallof chairs the boards of St. Francis University and serves on the Boards of Directors of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Venice, Caledonia Senior Living and Memory Care in North Riverside, Illinois. He formerly served on the boards of Hormel Foods and the Salvation Army of Sarasota.

Sue Neumann has been a donor and patron since 2020. She and her husband, Doug, are originally from Connecticut. A communications and public relations professional, Neumann has worked as a consultant to various organizations through her company, Neumann Communications. She is the former vice president of communications and public relations for Praxair and senior vice president of communications and education for Albertsons. She serves on the board of the Golden West Packaging Group. She has joined the development committee on the opera board with a focus on corporate engagement. Neumann is a volunteer with Florida Cancer Specialists.

Alastair Hunter-Henderson has been attending and giving to Sarasota Opera since 2014. He and his wife, Noralyn, have been Longboat Key residents since 1988. He has 27 years' experience with JP Morgan in New York where he was Managing Director & Global Head of Risk Management Advisory services. In 2000 he formed his own consulting firm focused on financial risk management advisory assignments for key financial and corporate clients. He is the Chief Financial Officer and board member of Newport Marina in Newport, Rhode Island and, together with Noralyn, an international economist, manages a Trust and Family Investment company based in Sarasota. 

Tamara Jacobs is founder and president of a strategic communications consulting firm. She is recognized internationally for image, product and corporate branding. Jacobs is a certified professional coach, recognized by the World Coach Institute, and author of “Be the Brand” and “Your Ultimate Success Plan.”  She is a member emeritus of The Women's Leadership Board, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Before starting her own company, Jacobs was a television news anchor and won an Emmy for her reporting. She has served as a senior executive consultant with Johnson & Johnson and has a diverse roster of Fortune 500 clients.

Thomas Garden has been attending and supporting Sarasota Opera since 2021. He and his wife Linda live on Longboat Key, and in Virginia. Previously they owned Life Safety Solutions Integrators (LSSI). 

ABOUT SARASOTA OPERA

Sarasota Opera is entering its 66th Season of bringing world-class opera to Florida's Gulf Coast. The company was launched in 1960 in the historic 320-seat Asolo Theater on the grounds of Sarasota's Ringling Museum of Art. In 1984 the company moved into the former A.B. Edwards Theater — now the Sarasota Opera House. Since then, the company has gained an international reputation as one of the leading regional opera companies in the U.S. through initiatives such as the Masterworks Revival Series and the Verdi Cycle. The company's Sarasota Youth Opera is the most comprehensive Youth Program in the U.S. The Sarasota Opera House, which underwent a $20 million renovation and rehabilitation in 2007, has been called “one of America's finest venues for opera” by Musical America. Since 1983, the company has been under the artistic leadership of Victor DeRenzi and administrative leadership of General Director Richard Russell since 2012. Sarasota Opera is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts. Programs are paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.