Next March, Ari Ioannides will have served as the Institute’s executive director for three years – without taking a salary or benefits. He started in March 2020 – just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered businesses and closed down performing arts venues. Still, he’s proud to have helped stabilize the organization and build some financial stability.
“We did more than break even,” Ioannides said. “We were in a pretty big hole. So not only were able to dig out of the hole, but we've got money in the bank now, which is, and part of that is because, honestly, you know, I've volunteered my time. Executive directors are expensive. So, if you think about three years of executive director salary, benefits and all that, you know, that's, that's a lot of money. So, I think that did help out.”
The president of the Institute’s board of directors, Jason Owen, says they’re now able to hire an executive director.
“When going into this - when Ari joined,” Owen said, “I don't think we could have ever expected this outcome, to be in this position today, where we actually can take on a national search to find a director that's going to come in for the long haul. That knows the quirkiness and uniqueness of Park City - that really wants to take the position that he's created today and grow that beyond in the years to come. I mean, it's one of the largest arts organizations in this community, and Ari’s made sure that we're in a position to be able to do this.”
Owen says the board will hire a recruiting firm to perform a national search. Even so, he says it would be great to find someone who is already here in the community.
“It would be fantastic if we could find a local candidate that already understands the community,” Owen said. “Already understands all of the people that have moved here recently, already understands the expectations of what RD has built upon to come in. So you know, local candidate would be great. But we're also going to go and see who we can find out there that wants to kind of take this platform and grow it.”
Ioannides will see the main stage season through this winter with the 17 performances already booked.
Tickets to this season’s shows are online at parkcityinstitute.org
When a new executive director is hired, Ioannides says he will focus on his role as a member of the institute’s board of directors.
