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Greetings Knoxville!
I’m so pleased to be here, and want to sincerely thank all of you who have welcomed me so warmly, as well as my wife Anita and our 7-month old Maija Rose. We officially arrived in mid-February, and were greeted with the glittering four-day extravaganza that L’Amour du Vin has become. From the bucolic Blackberry Farms and charming RT Lodge to a transformed KMA and a more secluded gathering, our introduction to East Tennessee could not have been more spellbinding, or delicious. The event was a rousing success and record-breaking in every way, and I quickly got a picture of just how generous this community can be. There are so many that made this historic achievement possible, and I want to especially thank June and Rob Heller for chairing the event with such infectious passion, John Woodrow Kelley for his elegant artistic contribution, as well as KMA Fundraising Manager Taylor Broyles for so capably stepping into the coordinator role. Cheers as well to Lexus of Knoxville who continue to be a sterling lead sponsor, as well as all those who bid, buy, and donate with glasses overflowing. My first event here was truly awe-inspiring.
Before we officially landed in Knoxville, there were a number of KMA board members on the Search Committee who embodied the absolute best of southeastern charm and hospitality. I need to first and foremost thank the singular Steve Bailey and his wife Ann for so consistently investing in the KMA and its leadership. Their multi-million gift to endow the Director’s Chair is a gesture of extraordinary philanthropy, and one that will resonate across generations. That the chair is named after David L Butler is all the more fitting, as he invested himself as KMA Director for almost two decades – stabilizing the Museum, spearheading landmark initiatives, and setting us up to soar. I thank him for so kindly and thoughtfully passing a torch that burns brightly, and I promise to build upon the bedrock that he and the staff here have laid. I also wish to thank Taylor Wortham, Karen Mann, Lou Gauci, Debbie Jones, Steve Smith, and all the others who made it abundantly clear that the KMA was where I needed to be.
Before we had much time to catch our breath after this whirlwind entry to Knoxville, my family and I were immersed in the record-setting revelry of Family Day at the KMA. This year’s event welcomed over 1600 people over the course of March 16th, amidst a dizzying array of face painting, music and art-making activity. Thank you to the KMA Education and Operations team for so gracefully choreo-graphing the crowds, and especially to DeLena Felciano for being the maestro of this heartwarming gathering. No less than a week later, the KMA saw thousands more pour through our doors as part of the citywide Big Ears Festival, which is simply world class in every way. Thanks to Ashley Capps and Casey Fox for being such bold and enlivening partners, and for putting Knoxville into the heart of the country’s music conversation year after year. We can’t wait to be part of it again in 2025.
A final note of thanks to the many dedicated volunteers who invest their time, energy and spirit into making the KMA exceptional. We had the pleasure of recently attending the annual Volunteer Appreciation Reception at the KMA, and celebrating the people who quite literally invest hundreds of hours into service on a yearly basis. Special thanks go to KMA Volunteer Coordinator Danielle Mann and Volunteer Advisory Committee Chair Kitsy Hartley for being both the leaders and the glue that keeps this remarkable group going strong.
What a way to begin, and the future gets brighter by the day, thanks to all of you.
I look forward to joining you and imagining all that this museum can be.
Thank you!
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