Mitch Menchaca will take over as the next president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Arts Council Wednesday. Credit: Courtesy of GCAC
Last month, Mitch Menchaca — former arts and culture director for the city of Phoenix — was named as the Greater Columbus Arts Council’s next president and CEO, replacing Tom Katzenmeyer, who has retired after leading the council for 13 years.
Menchaca will take over Wednesday after a year-long national search with more than 150 applicants, conducted by search firm BeecherHill.
Jim Negron, GCAC board chair and co-chair of the CEO search committee, said candidates were assessed based on their strategic leadership abilities, nonprofit financial management experience, grantmaking knowledge and ability to build strong public and private partnerships.
Negron said Menchaca fit the criteria.
“[Menchaca] had a proven track record,” Negron said. “He was an effective advocate and he had a wealth of experience in nonprofit and arts leadership.”
The Lantern reached out to Menchaca, but he was unable to comment by the time of publication.
Negron said Menchaca stood out because of his experience in securing funding and administering grant programs. He said Menchaca’s work in Washington, D.C. on municipal arts funding and his connections with national arts leaders demonstrated the experience GCAC was looking for.
“Right now, funding is a real challenge for us,” Negron said. “I believe with “[Menchaca’s] leadership, we’re gonna be able to come up with really creative ideas on how we seek out funding.”
Negron said because arts communities across the country are deeply interconnected, Menchaca was already somewhat familiar with the Columbus arts scene and had an existing relationship with Katzenmeyer, prior to his visit during the application process.
“[Menchaca] has had relationships with [Katzenmeyer] and other arts leaders across the country, so that was helpful,” Negron said. “[Menchaca] was very interested in what was happening in Columbus, but also came out and really was seeking to understand some of the specifics in more detail.”
GCAC staff were not directly involved in the hiring decision, but they met the final two candidates during the search, Jami Goldstein, chief creative officer of the GCAC, said. She said the staff immediately connected with Menchaca during their meeting.
“We left that meeting with him super excited,” Goldstein said. “We really think he brings the expertise, the sort of cultural awareness and just really the personality that will fit very well with the staff here at GCAC and also here in Columbus as a community.”
Goldstein said Menchaca has already begun onboarding and has been meeting with staff to understand their roles and ongoing projects. She said staff are easing him into the role, providing information gradually so the transition feels manageable.
“We’ve been trying to let him dip his toe into the vast amount of information about GCAC, as opposed to drowning him with it all at once,” Goldstein said. “You can tell he’s really excited, he’s very engaged, he’s been digging into the research and all of the information that we’ve been sending him, and we’re just super excited for his arrival.”
Negron said GCAC developed a year-long onboarding plan to make sure Menchaca is properly introduced to the community. Part of Menchaca’s transition includes a listening tour, where he said Menchaca will meet with GCAC staff, the board, elected officials, arts organizations, community stakeholders and funders.
“There’s a lot of social events that we’re going to be able to bring him to so that he can get to meet more people,” Negron said. “There still needs to be those intimate one-on-one meetings that are going to be going on for some time in a very intentional way.”
Last month, the GCAC launched a new public art strategy. Negron said Menchaca’s leadership will be particularly beneficial for the plan because of his experience overseeing a “Percent for Art” program, legislation that sets aside a certain percentage of the city’s capital budget for public art, in Phoenix — something the council is looking to implement in Columbus.
“We’re looking forward to how his footprint will be put on this strategy to execute it at a level that, right now, would exceed things that we are currently thinking about,” Negron said.
Goldstein said she is particularly enthusiastic about Menchaca’s public art expertise because of her close involvement with the strategy project.
“[The Greater Columbus Public Art Strategy] has been near and dear to my heart,” Goldstein said. “[Menchaca] is well acquainted with the benefits of public art and public art process and best practices. I would just say personally, I’m super excited to have that level of expertise joining GCAC.”
Goldstein said the transition is bittersweet, and the GCAC staff plans to give Katzenmeyer space to enjoy retirement while fully supporting Menchaca as the organization’s next leader.
Under Katzenmeyer’s leadership, Goldstein said the GCAC accomplished many important initiatives, including launching the Columbus Makes Art campaign, supporting the Deliver Black Dreams murals, creating the Artist Elevated Awards and significantly growing the organization’s budget through administering ticket fees.
“I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with [Katzenmeyer] for 13 years,” Goldstein said. “He is an empathetic and kind leader, and he has helped propel us to a place I’m not even sure we thought we could get to in terms of success in budget.”
Negron said he foresees that Menchaca will take over Katzenmeyer’s contributions to the GCAC and continue to improve and expand the city’s arts scene.
“[Katzenmeyer’s] legacy will stand forever,” Negron said. “[Menchaca] is going to build on the great legacy and create something different than what we have ever experienced here in Central Ohio.”
Negron said he requested to remain board chair for two more years to ensure stability during Menchaca’s transition.
“[The arts have] personally had a positive impact on my life, and this is a way for me to give back,” Negron said. “I’m able to take my intellect, my business acumen and my passion and apply it to GCAC. I am actually paying forward so that someone else can have the same impact that I had when I was younger.”
Goldstein said that despite the emotional transition, she is looking forward to the GCAC’s next chapter.
“I’m happy for [Katzenmeyer], I’m sad for us, I’m happy for us and I’m excited for [Menchaca],” Goldstein said. “It’s just all this big, complicated ball of emotion.”
More information about Menchaca and the leadership transition can be found on the GCAC press release.
