Arthur Pearson
The Roger Tory Peterson Institute has announced that CEO Arthur Pearson will retire at the end of 2025.
Pearson has led RTPI for more than five years.
As RTPI’s Board of Directors begins the search for a new CEO, Pearson will continue to lead the organization and help prepare for a seamless transition. The Board has retained Disston Search, an executive search firm specializing in non-profit, education, and mission-driven organizations to identify outstanding, innovative candidates from across the country for this important role. Additional information about the search will be forthcoming.
A Chicago native, Pearson has a richly varied background in the arts, conservation, museum collections and philanthropy. Since his arrival in March 2020, Pearson has helped lead the restructuring of RTPI in pursuit of a revitalized and resilient strategic plan, “RTPI Rising,” focused on realizing RTPI’s founding purpose as a nature art museum of local, regional, and national significance.
Under Pearson’s leadership over the past five years, RTPI has:
- Presented 25 exhibitions of nature art featuring the work of Roger Tory Peterson and some of the most dynamic contemporary nature artists from throughout the United States.
- Established in-person programs that make RTPI a treasured destination for local residents and tourists from throughout the country including the Summer Soiree, Roger’s Bird-Day Bash, RTPI Plein Air Festival, Holidays at the Lodge, Art After 5, Yoga with the Birds, and Birding the Peterson Preserve.
- Launched an Artist-in-Residence program to nurture the next generation of nature artists.
- Increased access to the Peterson Collection through a searchable, online database.
- Launched a Scholar-in-Residence program to nurture The Spark Bird Project
These initiatives and others have paid off handsomely with a 360% increase in total museum attendance, as well as both a 100% increase in membership ranks and a 400% increase in individual donations over just the last year alone.
Nominations and applications, including resume and cover letter, should be directed to Courtney Disston at: cdisston@disstonsearch.com.
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