Photo by Doug Gifford
After an extensive national search, the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts Board of Directors will welcome Terrence W. Dwyer as CEO, beginning January 11. When Judith Mitchell, the Kravis Center’s first and only CEO, 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. 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 is the former president of Orange County’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Palm Desert, CA, 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 $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.
From 2006 to 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 transformed its relationship with the community through projects like the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza, a community gathering place for all of Orange County with free events, performances, and community initiatives; The Center Without Boundaries, which featured art-based community partnerships to support the goals of organizations like Alzheimer’s OC, CHOC Children’s Hospital, Central Culture de Mexico, and Camp Pendleton; the Center for Dance and Innovation, which helped develop world premieres and was home to a variety of audience development initiatives; and 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.”
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.”
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