[email protected] Elects Fierce CEO

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Board of Directors recently elected longtime member and current Board Treasurer Hughlyn F. Fierce to the newly created position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Fierce (pictured left) will now be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the organization and will focus on the execution of [email protected]’s educational and curatorial programming. He’ll also be working closely with Executive Director Bruce MacCombie on the plans for Frederick P. Rose Hall, a new facility [email protected] hopes to have open in fall 2004.

[email protected] created the President and Chief Executive Officer position to meet the organization’s growing needs. “The growth of this organization over the last 11 years has been phenomenal and inspiring for everyone involved” said Lisa Schiff, Chairman of the Board at [email protected] “We have reached a size and complexity that requires additional resources, and we know that Hugh will provide the expertise and leadership necessary to navigate our continued expansion with success and style.”

Fierce’s credentials go well beyond his role at [email protected] He currently holds positions on the boards of the Scudder Charitable Foundation, Marymount Manhattan College, Parsons Brinkerhoff Inc., a global engineering company and the Baltic American Enterprise Fund in Washington, D.C. Fierce has also held a variety of domestic and foreign commercial and banking management positions in his career, mostly with Chase Manhattan Bank, where he began as an Assistant Branch Manager trainee to Senior Vice President.

And, of course, Fierce is a jazz fan. A native New Yorker, he grew up in the ’50s listening to players like Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Art Blakey and enjoyed nights out at legendary jazz hot-spots like the Cove in Brooklyn, the Village Vanguard, the Five Spot and the Open Door.

Certain that [email protected] has made the right decision, Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis summed it up: “[Fierce] brings a swinging attitude, tremendous business and fiscal expertise, and a profound understanding of, and passion for, [email protected]’s mission.”

Originally Published March 19, 2002