HOUSTON, TX.- Gary Tinterow, Director, the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, today announced the appointment of Christian Schörnich as the Chief Operating Officer. Schörnich comes to the Museum from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the past five years. During this time, Schörnich managed departments of more than 250 employees and successfully led an organizationwide redesign while implementing the Symphony’s ambitious strategic goals.

“We are thrilled that Christian Schörnich has joined the executive team at the Museum. He brings extraordinary international experience in managing complex operations around the world. We know that his impact at the Museum will be substantive,” Tinterow said.

Schörnich brings 20 years of management experience in both nonprofit organizations and the private sector, most recently at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since 2016. Prior to the Symphony, Schörnich followed his passion for international affairs with more than 10 years of service at the United Nations. There, he served as an advisor on business operations for the UN Secretariat in New York and co-authored several Secretary-General reports on the progress made in the UN reform process. During this time, he was invited as a speaker and member of a high-level panel at the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Additionally, he held positions at the UN in Mozambique, Sudan, and Afghanistan. Schörnich also served in the private sector as a consultant for the Center For Applied Research (CFAR) in Boston and as a manager for the Munich Airport.

Schörnich holds a Master of Arts degree in Law and Diplomacy and a Certificate in Development Economics from the Fletcher School at Tufts University in Massachusetts, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from the University of Konstanz in Germany. He recently completed an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the Kennedy School at Harvard University.

”I am impressed by the Museum’s wide-ranging international collections, exceptional campus and deep connection to the community it serves,” Schörnich said. “I feel privileged and honored to join the executive team under Gary Tinterow’s leadership.”

Schörnich begins his new role in March 2021. He succeeds Willard Holmes, who retired in January after nearly 14 years at the MFAH.