PACE Announces Appointment of New Executive Director
Contact:
Cheryl Engstrom, for PACE, 425.487.0682, 
BELLEVUE, WA. (Dec 18, 2006) – The Board of Directors of the Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE) has ratified the appointment of John Haynes as the new Executive Director and CEO for PACE. The announcement was made at the PACE monthly board meeting on December 14, 2006. Haynes will replace Executive Director Richard Collins who will retire on January 2, 2007. Collins is the founding executive director of PACE, appointed in June 2002. Haynes will assume his new role on January 8, 2007.
John Haynes
Haynes comes to Bellevue with vast experience in managing performing arts centers around the country. Most recently he served as founding executive director of the DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Notre Dame and concurrently as the University's Leighton Director for the Performing Arts, an endowed chair. He secured more than $25 million in naming rights and program underwriting as well as oversaw all aspects of the center, including establishing the vision and executing strategies to build and maintain strong campus, corporate, and community relations.
Prior to that, he served as president and chief executive officer for the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. He was responsible for the $85 million regional arts center which was comprised of a 1,500-seat concert hall, 400-seat theatre, museum of contemporary art, conference center, arts education studios, and a public park. He managed a staff of 120 on the six building 12-acre facility.
He began his performing arts career as executive director at The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, one of the country's largest and most celebrated theatres for young audiences. He was responsible for all aspects of operation, including marketing, fundraising, fiscal management, contracts, commissioning new work, and facilities.
Prior to his work with theatres, Haynes worked for more than a dozen years in media, including as associate director in the Feature Film department of CBS Television Network in New York, associate director of Late Night Programs and writer-producer of on-air promotions. He also was program development executive for Viacom Enterprises and vice president and general manager at ArtMedia, Inc., a music publishing, merchandising rights, and television production company.
His community activities and professional affiliations list is extensive, including the boards of Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, South Bend Civic Theatre, College of Business at California State University, California Center for the Arts Foundation, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, San Diego North Economic Development Council, and the San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau. Haynes was appointed by the Mayor of Minneapolis to the "Avenue of the Arts," a major urban renewal project in 1998. He has lectured around the country on arts, business, organizational effectiveness, and leadership.
"PACE is the perfect project in the perfect place," said Haynes. "Everything about this project makes sense - where it is situated, where it fits into the community and the people behind it. This community has an astounding amount of energy. With the momentum in Bellevue today, PACE will crystallize the community's coming of age."
"Haynes will bring the experience needed by PACE to build and operate a successful performing arts center," said Skip Rowley, chairman of the board of PACE. "We are very excited about his appointment and look forward to introducing John to the Eastside and greater Puget Sound community."
Referring to former executive director Collins, Kemper Freeman, Jr., founding board member and PACE campaign co-chair said, "Dick, as the first executive director for PACE has done a tremendous job getting this project to where it is today. He is widely known as a veteran in planning, developing, launching, and operating successful arts organizations across the country. Dick's association with PACE goes back to the 1980s when he first got involved as a consultant. He took the lead in 2002 as Executive Director for the newly formed nonprofit and he has kept this project moving forward. He's been with us from the beginning and we thank him sincerely for his achievements on behalf of PACE."
About Performing Arts Center Eastside:
Performing Arts Center Eastside is a 2,000-seat premier regional center for the performing arts. Its mission is to enrich cultural life with a wide diversity of live entertainment, arts, and education. PACE will stimulate the arts region-wide; attract new audiences; heighten arts awareness and education; provide a performance home for select area arts organizations; and serve as a cultural center for the Eastside.
PACE plans to open in 2009 and it will be located in downtown Bellevue on the corner of NE 10th Street and 106th Avenue NE.