SAN JOSE, CA.- San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA) today announced the appointment of new Executive Director, Susan Krane, a nationally recognized museum director and fine arts authority. Krane, who is currently Director of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, will assume her new responsibilities in San Jose beginning Sept. 15. Unanimously ratified by the SJMA Board of Trustees, the selection of Susan Krane is the result of a national/international executive search led by Korn/Ferry International.

The Executive Director of SJMA has an extensive portfolio of responsibilities that begins with providing vision, leadership, motivation, inspiration and strategic direction to the board, staff, volunteers and donors. The ED serves as the organization’s senior representative and spokesperson to all constituencies, both external and internal, and is responsible for the overall management of the museum. The Executive Director oversees SJMA’s $5 million budget, as well as a staff of 32 full-time employees, 40 seasonal employees, and 150 volunteers.

“We’re very delighted to announce that Susan Krane has accepted our invitation to join as the new Executive Director of the San Jose Museum of Art,” commented SJMA Board President Peter Lipman. “What we found in Susan is a leader with a strong profile among museums nationwide and a highly successful background in developing institutional strategic goals. She is a proven team builder, a fiscally responsible manager, and a strong community leader. Susan’s credentials as museum administrator and her scholastic knowledge of the field, are a powerful combination that places her much in demand by arts institutions across the country. I know we are in good hands with Susan.”

“I’m honored to have this opportunity to lead the San Jose Museum of Art, and to build upon the many successful programs that have established the museum’s prominence as a creative place that serves both audiences and artists,” said Susan Krane. “I’m impressed by the commitment of the museum’s board of directors to move forward into a new phase of growth with a focus on issues that are of particular interest to me, including audience engagement and innovative programs. I so look forward to working with the museum’s highly skilled staff, and to furthering our partnerships with the community and with the Bay Area’s many signature museums and performing arts organizations.”

Appointed in 2001, Director of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Krane redefined and honed the museum’s strategic goals, vision and programming, and successfully revamped and expanded the exhibition and education programs, including special initiatives in architecture and design. Krane launched collaborative projects with area institutions, a regional exhibition series, and an active schedule of traveling exhibitions and publications, with a focus on cultural context. She expanded and diversified the board, and the museum’s support base. She led the museum’s professional development (and a substantial increase in staffing), managed a successful fundraising program, and increased attendance. The museum recovered from prior deficits to achieve five years of solid operating surpluses.

Prior to joining the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Krane was Director of University of Colorado Art Museum in Boulder, 1996-2001. While there, she successfully furthered the mission and expanded the collections and exhibition program. Krane initiated a governance board; developed a patronage base; instituted budgeting procedures; and established a professional team of highly qualified staff. Among many projects, Krane co-led the initial team-based program planning for a new building, and achieved a 75% growth of organizational budget.

Her long curatorial credits include service as the Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, 1987-1995, and Curator and Associate Curator at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, 1979 – 1987.

Krane’s national professional service includes the New York State Council on the Arts; National Endowment for the Arts; Arizona Commission on the Arts, Nevada Council on the Arts; Colorado Council on the Arts; Mid-Atlantic Arts Alliance; Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games; Bureau of Cultural Affairs for Atlanta; Institute of Museum Services in Washington, D.C.; the Federal Advisory Committee for International Exhibitions, among many others.

Over the past 25 years, Krane has organized over 60 exhibitions, authored dozens of exhibition catalogues, and contributed many articles on various aspects of museum practice. She is a frequent lecturer on a variety of topics with a focus on modern and contemporary art. Krane earned her B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, from Carleton College; M.A. at Columbia University; and the M.B.A. from the University of Colorado.