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Oakland
Museum Of California Board Of Trustees Business Meeting Minutes
Meeting Minutes
October 25, 2007
MUSEUM RESTAURANT
4:00 P. M. – 6:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Trustees
Steven Anderson, Dale Block, Susan Chamberlin, Brian Cherry,
Ralph Clark, Christopher Curtis, Quinn Delaney, Rich Edwards,
Lori Fogarty, Virginia Furth, Lance Gyorfi, Tamra Hege, Jerry
Johnston, Harold Jones, John McDonnell, Christopher McLain, Marianne
Robison, Margaret Russell, Katherine Shea, Bruce Westphal, and
Sheryl Wong.
Trustees
Excused:
John Bowe, Matthew Cox, Richard DeAtley, Steven Douglas,
Anthony Harris, Joseph Hurwich, Jacqueline Kane, Anita Martinez,
Steven Read, Sandra Wolfe, and Penelope Wong.
Staff
Present:
Rene DeGuzman, Dorothy Hood, Philip Linhares, Linda Larkin,
and Mark Medeiros.
Volunteers
Present:
Barbara Bream, Gladys Eaton, Patrick Gaughan, Ruth Hussey,
Yvonne McCredie, Mary Perry Smith, and Gail Weininger.
Guests Present:
Hans Cole, Linda Crittondon, Steve Odom, Benjamin Perry, and
Carol Pollock.
1.
CALL TO ORDER/INTRODUCTIONS – Sheryl Wong
Chair Wong called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m.
2.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Sheryl Wong
On a motion duly made and seconded (Furth/Westphal), the following
resolution was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, the September 27, 2007 Board of Trustees meeting
minutes are approved as mailed..
3.
CHAIR'S REPORT – Sheryl Wong
Chair Wong welcomed guests and invited them to introduce themselves.
Included were two University of California, Berkeley students
who wanted to observe the board meeting because they have an
interest in eventually working for a non-profit organization.
Trustees were reminded to make their Annual Gift. It was suggested
that we might hold an off-site board meeting at the CCRC at
the November or January meeting. All trustees present expressed
interest
in having a meeting there, with an opportunity to tour the
facility.
Ms. Wong announced there would be a closed session at the end
of the board meeting to discuss a legal matter. At the end
of the Chair’s report, Ms. Wong was presented flowers in honor
of her birthday.
4.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT – Lori Fogarty
Executive Director Fogarty reported that three new staff
members were hired. Rene DeGuzman was hired as the Senior Curator
of Art. Mr. DeGuzman is a graduate of University of California,
Berkeley and was formerly the Visual Arts Curator at the Yerba
Buena Center for the Arts. Douglas Long was hired as the Chief
Curator of Natural Sciences. He received his PhD in Biology from
the University of California, Berkeley and is presently teaching
at St. Mary’s College and will begin working fulltime at
the museum in May 2008. The Chief Curator of History position was
filled by Louise Pubols from the Museum of the American West. Ms.
Pubols received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin and her
specialty is in early California history with a focus on the Spanish
and
Mexican period. She will begin with the Museum in January 2008.
Development Director Catherine Millar has resigned because of
health issues. The Development Director position has been posted
and Linda Larkin, Associate
Director of Capital Campaign, will serve as the interim director.
The Days of the Dead event, which was free to the public, was
very successful with approximately 4500 people in attendance
and close to 2000 of the attendees
purchasing admission tickets. The opening of the Artists of Invention:
A Century of CCA exhibit was also successful and there has been
a good response to the
show.
The Art and History galleries will close for renovations at the
beginning of January 2008 and a weekend celebration will be
held to herald the occasion. An
Off the Wall Celebration will be held the weekend of December 7, 2007 through
December 9, 2007. First Fridays After Five! will be the inaugural event on
December 7th and the evening will feature various events along
with the usual music and
dancing in the restaurant. The Saturday, December 8th program will showcase
events for the differently-abled community as well as a panel
that Rene de Guzman will
lead of artist/activists. On Sunday, December 9th there will be a major donor
and trustee reception at 11:00 a.m. followed by a family festival and civic
celebration open to the public. The City of Oakland will contribute
$25,000 towards marketing
the Off the Wall Celebration.
The Museum will host the screening of two films produced by KTOP
on the art of
Bruce Beasley and on Mr. Beasley’s activism in the West Oakland community
together with Paul Cobb. The screening and reception will be held on Wednesday,
November 14, 2007 beginning at 7:30 p.m. All trustees are invited to attend and
invitations were distributed at the meeting.
All required reports for the Oakland Museum’s accreditation review have
been submitted to the American Association of Museums (AAM). The site committee
will visit the museum either this coming spring or summer. 5.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE REPORT – Christopher McLain
Trustee McLain reported that the Audit Committee had met with the outside
auditors, who reported that the audit of 2006/07 financial statements will be
completed upon confirmation from the City of Oakland for payments of Measure
G receivables.
6.
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE REPORT – Virginia Furth & Sandra
Wolfe
Trustee Furth introduced the Planned Giving
consultant, Carol Pollock, who spoke on the various aspects
of planned giving. Ms. Pollock said there are two types
of planned gifts; one that is made from the donor’s
estate and the other involving planned gifts that take
place during the donor’s lifetime and involve structured
income funds. The Oakland Museum has caring donors who
may not give large gifts but are consistent givers and
the planned giving program has been very successful in
making the statement that a person doesn’t have
to be wealthy to give. A pooled income fund has been
established that deposits smaller gifts into one fund.
The museum has received $1 million in planned gifts which
is very good for the size of the museum’s membership.
Ms. Pollock said one of the challenges is that more staff
is needed to run the planned giving program and she also
encouraged trustees to become members of the museum’s
Heritage Society.
Executive Director Fogarty said once the renovations
are completed the operation costs will go up and there
will have to be a plan in place to cover this increase.
As we continue to raise funds for the capital campaign,
we also hope to build our endowment through planned
gifts in order to help support these increased costs. Chair
Wong thanked Ms. Pollock for her presentation.
Trustee Furth and Acting Development Director Linda Larkin
will personally visit with each trustee to discuss
further planned giving. Associate Development Director Bernadette
Powell said the goal for the Annual Fund is $2.7 million
and the department will be working on the $10,000 gifts
at year-end.
7.
INTRODUCTION
Chief Curator of Art Philip Linhares introduced newly
hired Senior Curator Rene de Guzman. Mr. de Guzman grew up in Piedmont,
graduated from University of California, Berkeley, and was the Visual
Arts Curator at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Mr. de Guzman
said coming to the Oakland Museum is a very important move for him.
He is excited about working in a multi-discipline organization and
is looking forward to being involved with the museum’s upcoming
changes.
8.AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT REPORT – Anthony
Harris
In the absence of trustee Harris, Ms. Fogarty reported
new members to the committee are Brian Cherry,
Ralph Clark, Jerry Johnson, and Harold Jones. The
committee reviewed some of the major initiatives:
the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) firm is
working on a new graphic identity for the museum;
discussed establishing a visitor’s task force;
and was updated on the RFPs for rebuilding the
museum’s website that have been sent out.
At the next meeting the committee will focus on
who is the museum’s target audience.
9. CAPITAL CAMPAIGN – Sheryl Wong
The committee is working on soliciting grants to
meet the Valley Foundation challenge. Funds received
are $500,000 from the Goldman Fund, $100,000 from
individuals, and $50,000 from the History Guild.
The Natural Sciences Guild is in the process of
determining the amount of their gift. Both the
Goldman and Osher Foundations are going to pay
their gifts outright. The Koret and Cowell foundations
will be solicited for grants. Eighty-six percent
of the campaign goal has been reached.
Invitations have been sent for a special cultivation
event in conjunction with the California College
of the Arts exhibition which will include a panel
discussion with CCA artists. The Days of the Dead
exhibition is also open and tours will be available
for trustees and their guests. Trustees can help
with the campaign by attending all of the events
planned to meet and greet people.
The closing of the galleries for renovations will
be celebrated at the Off the Wall event on the
weekend of December 6, 7, and 8.
10. COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES REPORT – Dale
Block
The trustees retreat will be held at the Claremont
Resort Hotel all day Saturday, March 15, 2008 and
for a half of day on Sunday, March 16, 2008. Trustees
are encouraged to provide names of prospective Board
members to Ms. Block, Ms. Wong, or Ms. Fogarty for
the six positions we will have open this year.
Associate Development Director Bernadette Powell
distributed a list of names and phone numbers for
Donor Forum members invited to the October 11 preview
for the CCA exhibition. Trustees are asked to please
call their assigned donors, thank them for their
support, and encourage them to attend the event.
Pass on any RSVP information to Ms. Powell. Ms.
Powell also requests that Trustees work with
her to invite
your new prospects as guests to exhibition previews. 11.GALA
COMMITTEE REPORT – Dale Block
Trustee Block asked trustees to fill out the Gala
response form distributed at the meeting. Cahill
Contractors, Inc. has donated $5,000 to the Gala
and PG&E $10,000, and there are four pledges
for tables. Trustee Edwards is making arrangements
for a live auction at the dinner and will send trustees
an email regarding possible auction donations, such
as, use of vacation homes or having friends or connections
that can obtain various packages for trips, etc.
Rutherford Vineyards will donate the wine for Gala.
Also, trustees who work for corporations that want
to purchase a table should contact Bernadette Powell.
12. RENOVATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REPORT – Lance
Gyorfi
Cavagnero & Associates is working
toward the completion of the construction document
phase in December, and Cahill Contractors is
also on board and meetings are beginning regarding
scheduling of the construction. Committee members
also met with landscape architecture Walter Hood,
who has a strong interest in urban design, to
discuss possible integration of the gardens into
our overall project. Mr. Hood is very excited
about the project and is very respectful of the
original landscape architecture’s (Dan
Kiley) version of the museum garden. There was
discussion regarding the integration of the museum’s
plans with some of the City’s plans, particularly
with regard to Lake Merritt. Mr. Gyorfi said
the Gallery Renovation Planning Team is working
at full steam and he believes exciting things
will happen.
13. WOMEN’S BOARD – Tamra
Hege
There is now a website where information regarding
the White Elephant Sale can be found at www.whiteelephantsale.org.
The Women’s Board total contribution to
the Capital Campaign for the last three years
is $750,000. In addition, grants have been approved
for Trading Traditions: California’s New
Culture exhibition for $50,000; the Fungus
Fair for $22,000; and $35,000 to support The
History of Early California exhibition which will allow
the Museum to offer educational programs and
docent tours for school children during the reinstallation
of the Art and History galleries.
14. OTHER – Lori Fogarty
Trustee John McDonnell offered to take board
members on a private tour of the new cathedral
being built in downtown Oakland. He will find
a day when everyone is available.
Chair Wong said the next board meeting will
be held on the fifth Thursday of the month,
November
29, 2007
16.
ADJOURNEMENT – Sheryl Wong
There being
no further
business
Chair Wong
adjourned
the meeting
at 5:30 p.m.
Christopher
McLain
Secretary
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