NEW YORK, NY.- The Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) today announced that Lucy Mitchell-Innes, Co-Owner of Mitchell-Innes & Nash, has been appointed as ADAA’s new President, effective September 17, 2009. Ms. Mitchell-Innes will succeed Roland Augustine, Co-Owner of Luhring Augustine, who has served as ADAA’s President since 2006.

“I am thankful to the ADAA Nominating Committee, its Board of Directors and the membership for their prescient decision to appoint Lucy Mitchell-Innes as the first woman President of our Association,” commented Mr. Augustine, “Lucy’s many years of experience in the field of art dealing, her high standards of professional practice, and her strong commitment to the mission of the ADAA makes her the ideal leader for our Association.”

ADAA’s Executive Director Linda Blumberg added, “Lucy is well known in the arts community for the strength of her gallery’s program and her expertise in private sales. Her experience and keen understanding of the art world will make her an engaged and creative President.”

Lucy Mitchell-Innes worked at Sotheby’s from 1981 to 1994, where she served as head of the Contemporary Art Department in Europe, then in New York as worldwide director of the Contemporary Art, Latin American Art and Contemporary and Modern Print departments. In 1994 she founded her own business as a private dealer and art advisor, and two years later opened a gallery on the Upper East Side in New York specializing in the secondary market for modern and contemporary masters and artists’ estates. In 2005 the gallery opened a second space in Chelsea. Mitchell-Innes & Nash has mounted major exhibitions of both historical and contemporary work in both spaces, and the gallery’s roster of artists and estates includes some of the most influential artists of the 20th century and today.

Ms. Mitchell-Innes has been a member of the selection committee of Art Basel Miami Beach since its inception in 2001. She has sat on the IRS panel for the evaluation of works of art from 2002–2009. She will bring considerable diversity of experience as a primary and secondary market gallerist, private dealer, and an auction house expert to her role as president of the ADAA.

“I am honored to have been appointed President of this prestigious organization. I hope my prior experience in many different areas of the art world will be useful in leading the ADAA into a new economy and global marketplace. In the 28 years that I have worked in this field, I have found that a passion for art, integrity and a commitment to excellence are the essential attributes of great gallerists and dealers. I look forward to serving the membership and continuing the work of outgoing President Roland Augustine and Executive Director Linda Blumberg.”

New ADAA Officers
ADAA has appointed officers to serve with Lucy Mitchell-Inness, who will each serve a three-year term commencing on September 17, 2009. They are Michael Findlay, Director of Acquavella Galleries, New York, as Vice President; Dorsey Waxter, Director of Greenberg Van Doren Gallery, New York, as Vice President; Jeffrey Fraenkel, President of Fraenkel Galleries, San Francisco, as Secretary; and Lawrence Luhring, Co-Owner of Luhring Augustine, New York, as Treasurer.

New ADAA Board of Directors
Ms. Mitchell-Innes has served as an elected ADAA Board member since 2007. Jeffrey Fraenkel, Lawrence Luhring and Dorsey Waxter will join an additional nine newly-elected ADAA Directors: Frances F.L. Beatty, of Richard L. Feigen & Co., New York; Tanya Bonakdar, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York; Jeffrey Deitch, Jeffrey Deitch, Inc., New York; Armin Kunz, C.G. Boerner, New York; Lawrence Markey, Lawrence Markey, San Antonio; Mary-Anne Martin, Mary-Anne Martin/Fine Art, New York; Susan E. Menconi, Menconi & Schoelkopf Fine Art, New York; Adam Sheffer, Cheim & Read, New York; and Leslie Tonkonow, Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects, New York. As with the appointed officers, all newly-elected Board members will serve a three year term commencing September 17, 2009.

All will join members currently serving on the Board: Mark Brady, W.M. Brady & Co., New York; James Cohan, James Cohan Gallery, New York; Betty Cuningham, Betty Cuningham Gallery, New York; Edward Gilbert, Director, Gallery Paule Anglim, San Francisco; Edwynn Houk, Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York, Peter MacGill, Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York; Friedrich Petzel, Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York; Alan Salz, Didier Aaron, Inc., New York; and Donald Young, Donald Young Gallery, Chicago.