Dear Editor,
On the evening of March 20, an email from members of the Executive Committee of the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center (MMCC) was delivered as “A Message to Our Members.”
The essential communication stated, “Our former Executive Director has left her position,” that “the dedication of the Board of Trustees to furthering our mission remains undiminished,” and that “identifying a new administrative head is a primary goal in the short term.”
The stated mission of the MMCC, as a nonprofit institution, is to “enrich the lives of residents...by presenting high-quality programming and educational opportunities in the fields of visual and performing arts, history and other humanities,” while cooperating “with other organizations which have mission compatible goals.” What I’d like to know is what criteria were assumedly not met that led to the former Executive Director (ED) being summarily dismissed?
Despite her good intentions, did she somehow not conform to the standards held by the board?
In January 2023, Cynthia Huger was publicly welcomed as the new ED at MMCC. She arrived with a “wide and purposeful resume” that reflected a career that included assignments as deputy chairman for the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Such credentials seemed to suggest an ideal entree into her new role in Madison, a quintessential Southern town in which an individual’s reputation is highly valued.
Nevertheless, not unlike her predecessor Melissa Klein, whose stint as ED spanned some 18 months and whose departure was barely met with a similar perfunctory acknowledgment, Cynthia Huger, in the eyes of many supporters of Cultural Center events, was regarded as most effective in her role. Notably, members of our African American community have shared with me their appreciation for the “bridge building” resulting from Cynthia’s role in the completion of the Andrews Legacy Gallery.
Personally, I know her to have been instrumental in selecting concert performers for the current and ongoing Chamber Music Festival, of which our family has been a festival sponsor for many years. In my mind, the fact that Cynthia was discharged months before the May 16 Grand Finale Concert reflects poorly on the relationship between the ED and the board.
Understandably, organizational confusion and tension can arise because the distinction between a board’s governance and an ED’s management is not absolute. I offer that as a matter of best practices, a board should establish and maintain clear policies about the hiring, operational criteria to be met, and the termination of an executive director. Without that in place, frequent directorship turnover will ultimately contribute to a loss of credibility of the MMCC as a first-class visual and performing arts center.
I’m confident in representing numerous citizens of our regional community as I offer Cynthia a heartfelt thank you and best wishes in all future endeavors.
Peter Wibell, Rutledge