DETROIT, MI (May 17, 2023) — The Board of Directors of the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) today announced the retirement of Board Chair Eugene A. Gargaro Jr. who will remain in the position until the formal selection of a successor.  

The museum’s Governance and Nominating Committee, chaired by Board Member Bonnie Larson, will lead an equitable and inclusive search for the next Chair, in accordance with the museum’s bylaws.  

Elected Board Chair in 2003, Gargaro has guided the DIA through periods of significant growth and transformation, effectively shaping the institution into one of the country’s premier art museums. In addition to its extensive and continually expanding original programs and exceptional resources, the DIA’s diverse collection of more than 65,000 artworks puts it among the top five in the nation.

“I have long believed the DIA is a truly special museum, located in a city of great historic and cultural significance, and it has been an honor to serve both the Institute and the community as Board Chair,” said Gargaro. “Throughout the past two decades, the DIA has grown into a national superstar due to the hard work and commitment of our Board of Directors, our exceptional senior leadership and curatorial teams, our dedicated museum staff and volunteers, and many other partners. I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together. I believe the DIA will continue to enjoy the worldwide reputation, stature, and respect it deserves, and I look forward to witnessing its ongoing growth and impact.”  

Gargaro leaves a remarkable leadership legacy that includes the DIA’s $158 million renovation, expansion, and grand reopening in 2007, maintaining the museum’s fiscal health during the 2008–09 global financial crisis, and spearheading a strategic initiative in 2013–14 to guide the museum through Detroit’s bankruptcy, achieving the DIA’s $100 million commitment to the Grand Bargain in ten months and securing its art collection and independent status for generations to come.

Perhaps Gargaro’s most significant achievement was his thoughtful navigation of the groundbreaking 2012 regional millage initiative in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties that provided essential annual operating support for the museum. He co-chaired the renewal of the regional millage in March 2020, a measure that voters overwhelmingly supported. Today the millage supports 68% of museum operations, allowing the DIA to provide tri-county residents free unlimited general museum admission, creative school and senior field trips with bus transportation, and a unique community partnership program beyond the walls of the museum.  

“The regional millage successes in 2012 and 2020 have profoundly changed the DIA,” said Gargaro. “Providing free admission encourages residents to return again and again, making the museum their own, and coming to know and love the art as much as I have.”  

“Gene has been a mentor and friend to so many in the community for decades,” said Emeritus DIA Board Member Reginald M. Turner, Jr., who co-chaired both millage campaigns with Gargaro. “His leadership of the DIA is unparalleled, and I am grateful for having been able to do such great work for our beloved museum with his guidance and partnership.”

The DIA continues to increase its reputation as a local and national center for the arts, by creating exhibitions such as 2022’s record-breaking Van Gogh in America, developing consistent and excellent community engagement programs, and being voted the number one art museum in America by USAToday’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards in 2023. The DIA’s success was recognized last year by the American Alliance of Museums, when it renewed the museum’s accreditation—considered the gold standard of museum excellence—stating, “the DIA is on a very strong footing overall, and has the capacity, leadership, organizational culture and structure to thrive over the next 10-year period.”

“It has been my privilege to lead the board of the DIA for the past two decades, and to see it become the institution it is today,” Gargaro said. “I consider myself very fortunate to have worked closely with an outstanding board of directors, and two very dedicated and accomplished directors—Graham Beal and Salvador Salort-Pons—as well as our committed staff who have made this museum the centerpiece of Michigan’s arts and cultural community.”  

“Gene’s impact on the DIA cannot be overstated,” said Salort-Pons, who has worked with Gargaro since becoming Director in 2015. “You have only to look at his incredible accomplishments to know he is truly passionate about every aspect of the museum, from the exhibitions we create to the outreach and engagement with our local, national, and international visitors. Gene deftly guided the institution through periods of tremendous growth, navigating economic challenges and creating the foundation for the financial stability that the museum now rests on. On behalf of the entire DIA staff, I thank Gene for his incomparable service and salute him as he steps into a well-deserved retirement.”

Gargaro, a Michigan native, has a longstanding commitment to the state’s arts and cultural heritage. Before becoming DIA Board Chair, he served on and was Chair of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs from 1997 to 2002.

But perhaps Gargaro’s most enduring relationship with the DIA came via his wife, Mary Anne, also a longtime volunteer at the museum. “Mary Anne has been my partner, advisor and cheerleader during all my years as Board Chair,” Gargaro said. “I am forever grateful for her sound judgment and steadfast support.” In 2015, the couple each received a DIA Lifetime Service Award for exemplary volunteer service. 

The DIA will honor Gargaro at its Fall Gala in November. More event details will be released closer to the date.  

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier art museums in the US, is home to more than 65,000 works that comprise a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times through the 21st century. From the first Van Gogh painting to enter a US museum (Self-Portrait, 1887), to Diego Rivera's world-renowned Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA’s collection is known for its quality, range, and depth. The DIA’s mission is to create opportunities for all visitors to find personal meaning in art.

For more information, please contact Megan Hawthorne, Regional Public Relations Manager, Mhawthorne@dia.org