NASAA Announces CEO Transition

Dear NASAA Friends and Colleagues:

As I celebrate my 29th year as NASAA’s CEO, I’m writing to share with you that I plan to end my tenure as NASAA’s CEO at Assembly 2014 in New Orleans this November.

It has been my great privilege to serve as your CEO during the last three decades—a period of many transformations in the arts, among state arts agencies and at NASAA. Working with you gives me enormous personal pleasure and profound professional satisfaction—so much so that I’ve effortlessly postponed putting more energy into what has now become a demanding writing agenda. Also, my enjoyment of leadership development and strategic planning has never stopped growing. I’d like to invest more time and creativity in those pursuits in the future.

In the meantime, I am committed to working with NASAA’s elected leaders and staff to maintain progress and ensure a smooth transition. NASAA’s governance is strong; its staff—as well you know—is amazingly capable, productive and adaptable; and its members are smart, creative, resilient leaders. The occasion to take stock, look ahead and select the CEO who, with your support, will lead NASAA to its next level of accomplishment represents a wonderful opportunity. As I look ahead to new opportunities for myself, I look ahead to the new opportunities for NASAA that my successor will bring.

I have much to be thankful for and more of you to thank than I will be able to reach on any single occasion. So please forgive me if I thank you more than once. Beginning now, and through “NASAA-NOLA,” I hope I can express to you how grateful I am for the many gifts that are mine and Terri’s because of your personal and professional support.

With great affection and appreciation,

Jonathan Katz
NASAA CEO

To All NASAA Members:

As we approach this important transition, the first thing I want to do is to thank Jonathan for his extraordinary leadership. During his time at the helm, NASAA has grown to become a strong association and a champion for state arts agencies that all of us can depend on.

The NASAA board and Executive Committee are already looking ahead, beginning the important work that will sustain our high standards of service and keep our association moving forward. We’re organizing a national search that will commence this spring. A search committee, which will include board representatives as well as individuals from the membership at large, is being appointed. That team will vet applications, conduct interviews, and make recommendations to the board of directors, which, per NASAA’s bylaws, will appoint our next CEO. The Executive Committee is serving as NASAA’s transition team, managing Jonathan’s transition and onboarding the next CEO.

We’ll keep the membership informed. In fact, we are counting on the membership to help us spread the word about this opportunity to good candidates. We’ll let you know once the job announcement is available.

In the meantime, I invite you to join me in saluting Jonathan’s achievements as NASAA CEO. We will celebrate Jonathan’s service in style at Assembly 2014—yet another great reason to join us in New Orleans, November 13-15. I hope to see you there!

With warmest regards,