OPPORTUNITY RESOURCES INC.

Transcription

1 OPPORTUNITY RESOURCES INC. Freda Mindlin President 196 East 75 th Street Suite 14H New York, NY TEL: FAX: POSITION DESCRIPTION AND IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE POSITION: CLIENT: LOCATION: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM AUBURN, INDIANA MISSION To collect, document, preserve and interpret relevant artifacts and stories of the Auburn Automobile Company, Duesenberg Inc., Auburns, Cords, Duesenbergs and other significant automobiles and their heritage of innovation, competition, societal influence and design, engaging communities in enriched, educational and fun experiences that have enduring impact on diverse audiences. BACKGROUND The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum s trustees seek a creative, entrepreneurial Executive Director to ensure the smooth operation and viability of the Museum, strengthening the connections between the community and the Museum and broadening its financial support base. The Executive Director will provide the guidance and vision to take the Museum into its next period of growth and distinction. * * * There are many aspects to the story of the automobile. The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum aims to educate, inspire and entertain its visitors with the automobile s fascinating history and to convey the impact that its science and technology have had on our world. The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum opened to the public in 1974 in Auburn, Indiana, a 20-minute drive from Fort Wayne. It has a collection of 120 antique, vintage and special interest vehicles of outstanding craftmanship and beauty, often called rolling sculptures. The collection is housed in the original 1929 Auburn Automobile Company administration building, one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the Midwest and a National Historic Landmark. The Auburn Automobile Company s parent company, the Cord Corporation, purchased Duesenberg Motors in Hand-crafted cars produced by the two companies were icons in their own time and are still held in many realms to be the most finely designed

2 Page 2 automobiles ever made. They were favorites of Hollywood figures of the era like Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, James Cagney and Greta Garbo. Recognitions received by the Museum include the Old Car Weekly News 2017 Golden Quill Award for the Museum s member newsletter, the Accelerator; a 2016 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for a record of exceptional visitor reviews; awards for exhibitions and website design from the National Association of Automobile Museums; an Indiana Hoosier Hospitality Award given to an outstanding long-time ACD Museum volunteer tour guide; and regular appearances on Best Automobile Museums lists from Autoweek magazine to MSNBC to USA Today. On display are legendary Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg Speedsters, Cord and Duesenberg Phaetons, convertible coupes and storied racing models. Several classics from other manufacturers are also exhibited: Cadillac, Rolls Royce, Lincoln, Packard, and Mercedes Benz, along with rare, one-of-a-kind prototypes, to enhance the visitor experience and understanding of the history, design, creativity and engineering excellence of the company and the role it played in the early decades of the automotive industry. The Museum s artifact collection includes items like drafting tools and shop jackets worn by mechanics and drivers of the era. The collections are displayed on three levels in nine galleries. An adjacent state-of-the-art Collection Conservation Center, completed in 2012, is where the collection goes for maintenance and is a unique training space where students work with a volunteer Pit Crew of seasoned classic car conservators. They learn about restoration and preservation and are the next generation of enthusiasts and caretakers of collectible automobiles. Directly across the street, the Museum opened its newest addition in May The 1.5-acre Education & Exhibit Plaza holds outdoor programs and special events. The space has a stage with a screen for visual programming. The Museum s archive of 70,000 documents is the most extensive collection in the US related to Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg history. The archive includes not only significant company records but original blueprints, designs and photographs of the extraordinary vehicles and is a treasure trove for historians, classic car owners and buffs and designers of projects that include cars of the period. Much of the research is done in-house, in the Museum s Reading Room, and is a source of earned revenue for the Museum. The archive handles over 1,000 requests annually from all over the world. Digitization of the archives is presently underway to create a platform for greater public accessibility to such a rich vein of historic material. Educational programs at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg are designed to introduce school classes and adult visitors to the history of Indiana s prominent role in the development of the automotive industry and the extraordinary genius of the engineers and designers of the Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg automobiles. The Education Department s programs promote STEAM learning (science, technology, engineering, art and math) through workshops and interactive materials. In addition to people visiting cars at the Museum, the cars go out to visit people: education automobiles are often seen on the public roads in and around the Museum and

3 Page 3 at regional events, and school groups are able to sit in the automobiles and examine the engine, dashboard and more, hands-on. The city of Auburn s annual Labor Day weekend Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival is one of the largest events in the state of Indiana, drawing thousands of visitors from all over the world. The Museum is Ground Zero for the Festival and holds back-to-back events and exhibitions including its annual benefit extravaganza. The Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, a prestigious recognition of operations and impact reflecting the highest industry standards. The Museum s annual operating budget is $1.2 million, and it serves 50,000 visitors a year from every state and 40 countries. Earned income from the museum store, events, memberships, research projects and admissions provides about 50% of the operating budget. Active fundraising efforts raise the remaining budget. There is a staff of 22 employees comprised of 15 plus 4 full-time equivalents, an active 120-member volunteer corps, and a dedicated 20-person Board of Directors. THE POSITION The Executive Director is the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum s CEO, reporting to the Board of Directors through the Chairman of the Board. The Executive Director oversees a staff of 22 employees, five of whom are direct reports. The Executive Director will be an innovative leader, supporting and encouraging creative input and productivity of the staff, strengthening the connections between the community and the Museum and enhancing outreach to existing donors while pursuing a broader and deeper range of support. The Executive Director will take a leadership role in all cultivation and fundraising activities; work in collaboration with the Board and development staff to secure established relationships and aggressively seek new sources of support from individuals, corporations, foundations and government; and embrace the responsibility for making the ask. She/he will be the Museum s chief spokesperson and public face and will have or acquire a comprehensive understanding of the Museum s mission, role and potential, including knowledge of the Museum s history, collection, culture, programs, funding, partnerships and operations. The Executive Director has overall responsibility for the Museum s strategic direction and is accountable for all aspects of the Museum s operation, including planning, programming, financial management, marketing, fundraising and community engagement. She/he will be a visible and involved participant in community affairs and comfortable interacting with a wide range of people. In addition, the Executive Director will: o Provide leadership to the Board and staff in developing strategic plans for programming and outreach, increasing visibility locally, nationally and internationally, expanding visitation and earned and contributed income, and ensuring that the plans are implemented and monitored.

4 Page 4 o Be a responsible and enthusiastic steward of the Museum s assets: collection, annual revenue, facilities, staff and relationships with volunteers and donors, the Board of Directors and the city of Auburn. o Assess the current operating structure, including program implementation and staffing; report her/his findings to the Board and suggest changes where needed; ensure an infrastructure that will achieve the Museum s goals and objectives. o Develop and monitor annual operating budgets and plans to ensure that necessary human and financial resources are available; provide responsible management for the Museum s business operations and physical plant, including identifying any needed repairs and improvements to the facility; establish a budget and fundraising plan for undertaking the work. o Cultivate productive relationships within the immediate community as well as regionally and nationally, building good will and collegial partnerships with other cultural organizations. o Develop a comprehensive marketing program that will promote the collection, its value and uniqueness and the Museum s innovative educational and exhibition programs to funders and the general public. o Motivate and inspire staff, understand their strengths and concerns, and encourage each member s professional growth; maintain open and frequent communication with Trustees, staff and volunteers within a collegial working environment. Qualifications and Experience The successful candidate will have at least seven years experience in a senior level position gained at a history, science or multi-disciplinary museum or other related cultural organization; individuals from the business or educational sector with an appropriate background will also be considered. She/he will be enthusiastic, results-oriented and decisive and have a collegial, team-oriented working style and an engaging public presence; be an excellent communicator and a skilled fundraiser and marketer; and have a record of successfully setting and meeting goals, experience working with a Board of Trustees and managing people and operations. A sincere appreciation for the Museum s collection, mission and role are of the utmost importance. A graduate degree in a related field is preferred. In addition, the Executive Director will have: o Strong leadership, motivational and coalition-building skills o Demonstrated experience and success raising funds o A marketing bent and knowledge of marketing techniques o An understanding of how to run a museum and a high regard for proper business practices o The skill and experience to provide the Museum with both day-to-day and long-term strategic direction and the dedication, discipline and ambition to translate vision into concrete achievement

5 Page 5 o An understanding that education and preservation are foundational to a museum s work, without losing sight of the fact that museums also have an entertainment component o Talent for building trust and confidence with a broad constituency, particularly the automobile collecting community o Familiarity and ease with technology and its implications for day-to-day operations o A roll up your sleeves work ethic, ready and willing to pitch in at any level, and an outgoing, collegial personality and sense of humor. LOCATION Before mass production came along in Detroit, Indiana was the center of the original automobile industry. Auburn, Indiana, a small city of 13,000, is known today as the Home of the Classics for its illustrious automotive history. The Auburn Automobile Company prospered in the 1930s, and cars produced under each of the three brands, Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg, are maintained by devoted fans and collectors to be the finest ever made. The county seat of DeKalb County, Auburn is in northeast Indiana, 20 miles north of Fort Wayne, Indiana s second largest city, with a population of approximately 265,000. Chicago, Indianapolis and Detroit are all within a 2 to3 hour drive or train ride from Auburn. Auburn s economy today is solid and diverse, including manufacturing and research and development for the automotive industry. The downtown is a National Historic District encompassing 52 buildings built between 1870 and Besides the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, Auburn is also home to the Early Ford V8 Foundation Museum, the Hoosier Air Museum and the National Auto and Truck Museum. The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival, held every Labor Day weekend in Auburn, is one of the largest festivals in the state, featuring the Parade of Classics (automobiles) and quilt, antique and art exhibitions, classic and contemporary car auctions and much more. Auburn supports extensive public parks, a vibrant public art program, and active citizen involvement. Small-town community spirit co-exists with easy access to bigger-city amenities in neighboring Fort Wayne. Millennial professionals are increasingly drawn to the area by its low cost of living, unique mix of home architecture ranging from Queen Anne and American Craftsman to mid-20th century jewels and new downtown lofts and apartments, popular minor league sports and solid passion for the arts (see BuzzFeed s tongue-in-cheek appreciation here). Fort Wayne s downtown cultural district includes the Auer Center for Arts & Culture, home of the Fort Wayne Ballet; the Fort Wayne Museum of Art; ArtsLab Theater; the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory; the African/African-American Historical Museum; the nationally-recognized Fort Wayne Children s Zoo, and the 33-acre Headwaters Park, center of the annual Three Rivers Festival a nine-day summer extravaganza drawing half a million visitors to musical performances, a fine arts fair, races, a parade and food. The area s rich cultural diversity is highlighted by Fort Wayne s annual German Fest, Greek Fest, Arab Fest, the Cherry Blossom Festival celebrating all things Japanese, and the growing influence of an expanding Burmese population.

6 Page 6 Fort Wayne and the surrounding communities have several of the best K-12 schools in the state. Universities in the area include Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) and the University of Saint Francis. Fort Wayne International Airport serves the region and Amtrak stops at Waterloo, 5 minutes from Auburn, providing easy access to the larger cities of Chicago and Detroit. Climate is moderate, with average summer temperatures from 60 to 84 degrees and winter temperatures from 16 to 36 degrees. Please address all inquiries and recommendations in confidence to the retained search consultants: Freda Mindlin or Nancy Kaufman Opportunity Resources Inc. New York, NY (212) search@opportunityresources.net