PORTLAND (Ore.) – The Oregon Symphony held its annual membership meeting last week on the stage of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall amid the splendor of the Dale Chihuly glass set pieces that highlighted the classical season-opening production of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle.
The Symphony shared the results of the first-time-ever, online elections, welcoming four new board members for three-year terms:
Dan Drinkward
A native of Portland, Dan Drinkward is the Operations Manager at Hoffman Construction, where he has made his career for over 16 years. He brings to the Board his executive experience and an abiding passion for shaping Portland’s cultural landscape for future generations. Dan is a graduate of Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business. In addition to serving on the Oregon Symphony Board of Directors, he is a member of the Oregon Episcopal School Board of Trustees, and sits on the Board of ACE Academy, a charter school focused on architecture, construction, and engineering. A resident of Lake Oswego, Dan is married to Kathleen Drinkward and they have a young daughter.
Suzanne Geary
A Portland resident, Suzanne Geary joins the Oregon Symphony Board of Directors as a representative of the Richard & Janet Geary Foundation. As Chief Operating Officer of Sigma Investment Management Company, Suzanne comes to the Board with deep experience in strategic organizational development and management. Prior to joining Sigma, she served as founding Executive Director of College Possible Portland, a non-profit organization that coaches low-income students towards college graduation. Suzanne attended Tulane University, where she earned both a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s in Health Administration. In addition to the Oregon Symphony Board of Directors, she sits on the boards of Portland Art Museum and College Possible Portland.
Nancy Hales
Nancy Hales is the Director of First Stop Portland at Portland State University and has served as First Lady of Portland since 2013. She brings to the board her leadership as a community organizer and her expertise in management and fundraising. Nancy has served as a Volunteer in Service to America, (VISTA), and served two consecutive Washington governors as a founding member and the Vice Chair of the Columbia River Gorge Commission. Prior to joining First Stop Portland, she served as President/CEO of the Community Foundation for SW Washington. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Vermont and a Master’s in Public Administration with honors from Lewis & Clark College. Nancy lives in Portland with her husband, Mayor Charlie Hales.
Rick Hinkes
Rick Hinkes is retired from Engineered Machinery Inc. (EMI), where he was the President and Chief Executive Officer from 2005 to 2015. He brings to the board his expertise in innovation, business development and executive management. Originally from Chicago, Rick moved to the Portland area in 1984 and now lives outside of Carlton, Oregon. Rick is a talented pianist, an avid composer of music in his free time, and a longtime supporter of the Oregon Symphony. He is married to Veronica Haley Hinkes.
These board members bring the total number of the Oregon Symphony board of directors to 34.
Also elected to serve continuing terms were: Ralph Hamm, Mark Kralj, and Jack Wilborn for second three-year terms; Larry Vollum to serve his third three-year term; and J. Clayton Hering, serving his sixth three-year term.
Following the election results, members enjoyed a panel discussion on the use of Chihuly’s glass with Bluebeard’s Castle and the Symphony’s SoundSights series that pairs the richness of sight with the pleasure of music in three powerful productions this season. The panel included Music Director Carlos Kalmar, President Scott Showalter, and Symphony violinist and board member Greg Ewer, moderated by All Classical Portland on-air host Christa Wessel.
The Oregon Symphony’s 2016/17 season is off to a strong start with three sold out concerts already and ticket sales more than 20% ahead of this time last year.
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