Annmarie Erickson leaving Detroit Institute of Arts after 17 years
Updated Jun 29, 2016
June 29, 2016 (Detroit)—Annmarie Erickson, a moving force at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) since joining the staff in 1999, who served as the DIA’s executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2008, is leaving the museum on June 30, ending her distinguished 17-year career with the DIA. Erickson has taken a consulting position with the campaign supporting and promoting regional transit in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne and Washtenaw counties effective July 1. As Special Advisor for Coalition Building and Government Relations, Erickson will be responsible for expanding and strengthening the coalition of businesses and governmental units supporting the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) master plan.
Erickson has played critical roles in all of the significant accomplishments of the DIA during her tenure, from the blockbuster Van Gogh exhibition—still the museum’s best attended exhibition with 316,000 visitors over 12 weeks—and the museum’s 2007 grand reopening and marketing campaign featuring animated characters that encouraged visitors to “Let yourself go.” More recently Erickson was instrumental in the DIA’s successful millage initiative and the Grand Bargain that enabled the City of Detroit to emerge from bankruptcy while protecting the pensions of the City’s employees as well as the museum’s art collection. Erickson leaves the DIA well positioned for the future with a deep and talented management team, under the direction of Salvador Salort-Pons, recently appointed director and CEO by the DIA board of directors.
“I could never have imagined my tenure at the DIA. I was face-to-face with Van Gogh. I had a voice in re-installing one of the country’s great art collections. I was there at 2 a.m. for 32 hours of non-stop grand ‘eye-opening in 2007.’” said Erickson. “I will long remember the support and the shared dedication of the DIA’s amazing staff and volunteers that kept a light shining even through some of our darkest times. The museum has a strong foundation to build upon and I look forward to watching our museum grow and prosper in the years ahead.”
The museum has benefited immeasurably from Erickson’s tireless service to and leadership of the DIA. Board Chairman Eugene Gargaro said of Erickson, “As the DIA faced significant challenges, Annmarie was a steady, wise and tireless force guiding us to the great position in which we now find ourselves. We will miss her greatly, and all of us at the DIA, indeed all residents of the City and the State and all lovers of art, are in her debt.”
"We are very grateful for the work Annmarie did through the millage and the Grand Bargain to stabilize the museum's finances," said Salort-Pons. "Her efforts provided us with a strong foundation that allows us to now focus on building the museum's endowment, further guaranteeing a vibrant future for the DIA. We know that she will continue to support our museum in everything she does."
Erickson will assist the museum in transition by consulting with the DIA through December 2016.
June 29, 2016 (Detroit)—Annmarie Erickson, a moving force at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) since joining the staff in 1999, who served as the DIA’s executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2008, is leaving the museum on June 30, ending her distinguished 17-year career with the DIA. Erickson has taken a consulting position with the campaign supporting and promoting regional transit in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne and Washtenaw counties effective July 1. As Special Advisor for Coalition Building and Government Relations, Erickson will be responsible for expanding and strengthening the coalition of businesses and governmental units supporting the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) master plan.
Erickson has played critical roles in all of the significant accomplishments of the DIA during her tenure, from the blockbuster Van Gogh exhibition—still the museum’s best attended exhibition with 316,000 visitors over 12 weeks—and the museum’s 2007 grand reopening and marketing campaign featuring animated characters that encouraged visitors to “Let yourself go.” More recently Erickson was instrumental in the DIA’s successful millage initiative and the Grand Bargain that enabled the City of Detroit to emerge from bankruptcy while protecting the pensions of the City’s employees as well as the museum’s art collection. Erickson leaves the DIA well positioned for the future with a deep and talented management team, under the direction of Salvador Salort-Pons, recently appointed director and CEO by the DIA board of directors.
“I could never have imagined my tenure at the DIA. I was face-to-face with Van Gogh. I had a voice in re-installing one of the country’s great art collections. I was there at 2 a.m. for 32 hours of non-stop grand ‘eye-opening in 2007.’” said Erickson. “I will long remember the support and the shared dedication of the DIA’s amazing staff and volunteers that kept a light shining even through some of our darkest times. The museum has a strong foundation to build upon and I look forward to watching our museum grow and prosper in the years ahead.”
The museum has benefited immeasurably from Erickson’s tireless service to and leadership of the DIA. Board Chairman Eugene Gargaro said of Erickson, “As the DIA faced significant challenges, Annmarie was a steady, wise and tireless force guiding us to the great position in which we now find ourselves. We will miss her greatly, and all of us at the DIA, indeed all residents of the City and the State and all lovers of art, are in her debt.”
"We are very grateful for the work Annmarie did through the millage and the Grand Bargain to stabilize the museum's finances," said Salort-Pons. "Her efforts provided us with a strong foundation that allows us to now focus on building the museum's endowment, further guaranteeing a vibrant future for the DIA. We know that she will continue to support our museum in everything she does."
Erickson will assist the museum in transition by consulting with the DIA through December 2016.