CHICAGO (June 18, 2013) — The Joffrey Ballet and Artistic Director Ashley C. Wheater today announced that veteran Chicago arts administrator Greg Cameron, most recently the Chief Operating Officer of WTTW/WFMT, will join the Joffrey leadership team as its new Executive Director, effective July 1, 2013.
Kathleen Hechinger, who joined The Joffrey as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrator Officer in 2010 and has served as interim Executive Director since March, has been appointed to the new position of Joffrey Ballet Deputy Director.
"I am thrilled that Greg will be joining The Joffrey Ballet as Executive Director. I have known Greg for several years and respect his intelligence, his strategic vision and his commitment to the arts," said Wheater. "The Joffrey Ballet has grown artistically in recent years. Greg's leadership will ensure the continuation of this growth. In the arts, success is measured by the impact we have on our community, by our ability to engage our audience. I know that Greg shares this sense of purpose. I am pleased to have a partner in service to the people of Chicago."
Cameron, 55, is openly gay and he comes to The Joffrey Ballet with extensive strategic leadership, community partnership and development experience at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Highlights of his three decades-long career here include cutting his teeth at the Department of Cultural Affairs before rising through the ranks at the MCA to become Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. He then joined the Art Institute as the Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations before returning to the MCA to serve in various head positions, culminating as Deputy Director and Chief Development Officer. Most recently, he served as COO at WTTW/WFMT, where he started as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer in 2008.
Cameron has served as an Adjunct Professor in Arts Administration of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and as an Adjunct Professor in Museum Practices at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Cameron currently serves as Board Chairman of The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago and, over the years, has served as a member on the board of numerous cultural and community institutions, including the Young Women's Leadership Charter School, Arts Alliance Illinois, 3Arts and Donors Forum of Chicago. He has also served on multiple committees throughout the years, including the School of the Art Institute Fashion Committee, the University of Illinois at Chicago Visiting Committee, College of Architecture and the Arts, Center on Halsted and Links Hall. He resides in the Lakeview neighborhood with his partner Greg Thompson.
Zachary Lazar, Chair of the Joffrey Ballet Executive Search Committee and incoming 2013-14 Board Chairman, added, "Greg Cameron is the ideal individual to partner with Ashley Wheater to lead the Joffrey to new heights in the dance world. His experience, passion for the arts and lifelong commitment to Chicago's cultural landscape make him perfectly suited for the role of Executive Director. We are delighted to have someone of Greg's stature and experience joining the Joffrey family."
"The success of any arts organization is reflected in the strength of its team and I am pleased to be joining the internationally-acclaimed Joffrey Ballet at a time of transformation and growth. The artistic vision of Ashley Wheater, a talented company of dancers, strategic leadership from a dedicated board of directors, and a committed educational and administrative team will create and tell the story of what the future holds for Joffrey."
"Supporting artists and the arts in Chicago and beyond is my personal mission and passion," continued Cameron. "For a large part of my career, the focus was the visual arts, while for the past several years at WTTW/WFMT, storytelling and classical music entered my repertoire. The Joffrey Ballet encapsulates the visual and storytelling, and the Joffrey's international reputation is well-positioned to be a part of Chicago's ongoing story."
Cameron joins The Joffrey Ballet as it gears up for its 2013-2014 "Masters of Dance" season. The season includes five different programs that kick off with "Russian Masters," featuring the centennial anniversary performance of Vaslav Nijinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring), September 19-22, 2013.
The Joffrey Ballet is Chicago's premier ballet company and dance organization committed to artistic excellence and innovation, presenting a unique repertory encompassing masterpieces of the past and cutting edge works of today. The Joffrey is committed to providing arts education and accessible dance training through its Joffrey Academy of Dance and Community Engagement programs. For more information on The Joffrey Ballet and its programs, visit Joffrey.org .
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