CAPA’s new president already on the job
The board of trustees of the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts told the CAPA staff Wednesday that acting President and CEO Chad Whittington now has the job permanently.
The staff reaction to the announcement, board President Rich Hemlreich said, reinforced the decision.
“There was a standing ovation that probably lasted 45 seconds,” he said. “There were tears by numerous people.”
Whittington — who had been acting president for 10 months, since the cancer-related death in October of Bill Conner — was selected after an eightmonth search.
Helmreich, one of nine members on the search committee, said six finalists were interviewed — including Whittington, the only internal candidate — then narrowed the list to one external candidate and Whittington.
“We collectively decided that, while an external hire would bring a breath of fresh air and new ideas, Chad’s performance over the last 10 months and his historical knowledge of the city’s arts community would be critical at this time,” Helmreich said.
“We felt like CAPA would continue to operate at a high level without skipping a beat.”
Whittington, who has worked for the organization his entire 19-year professional career, said he’d prepared a speech for the occasion but didn’t stick with it.
“It got a little emotional, in a good way,” he said.
The nonprofit organization, with an operating budget of $28 million, owns the Ohio, Palace and Southern theaters, among other venues, and provides management and administrative services to seven area arts and cultural groups, including the Columbus Symphony and Opera Columbus.
CAPA spokeswoman Rolanda Copley declined to disclose Whittington’s salary, saying the organization doesn’t make salaries public.
Helmreich said CAPA is working toward the announcement of a capital campaign to raise money for renovations to the Ohio and Palace theaters.
Whittington, 41, said his priorities are community outreach and more-diversified CAPA programming.
“I want everyone to feel comfortable coming to our theaters,” he said. “We want everyone to feel there’s something here for them.”
Whittington now has completed a rise to the top from his first job, in 1998, cleaning the Ohio Theatre while working his way through Ohio State University. He started full time in 1999.
“To think I’d be in this office now, I certainly would not have foreseen that when I was 21,” he said.”But I realized early on what a great organization this was, and what an incredible community this is, and that has stayed true for 20 years now.”