CHICAGO, IL.- The Art Institute of Chicago announced the appointment of David Thurm as the museum's new Chief Operating Officer . Thurm, who began his tenure at the Art Institute on March 1, 2010, will oversee the museum's general operations. Thurm's duties will include the strengthening of the museum's financial position and easing its transition to a more complex institution--which the museum has now become as a result of the addition of the Modern Wing and the multiyear reinstallation project currently underway.

"David has extensive experience in leading transformative changes in large organizations, experience that will prove crucial to the Art Institute as we adjust to our larger museum campus and face the challenges we are encountering as a mission-driven institution," said James Cuno, President and Eloise W. Martin Director of the Art Institute. "We look forward to David's expertise and contributions in helping us fully become a twenty-first-century museum."

Thurm comes to the Art Institute after 27 years at the New York Times, serving that company in many different capacities, including Vice President for Real Estate Operations-overseeing the management and construction of Renzo Piano's New York Times headquarters building-and Chief Operating Officer of New York Times Digital. Most recently, he was the newspaper's Senior Vice President for Operations.

Thurm received his B.A. from Harvard University and his J.D. from the New York University School of Law. He is a member of the National September 11th Memorial and Museum Schedule Oversight Committee and a board member both of Green Light New York and the American Institute of Architects.

Meredith Mack, the museum's former Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, will be joining the leadership team at the Rise Group as Executive Vice President of the Institutional Sector as well as supporting company-wide strategic and operating initiatives.

"Meredith's management of the Modern Wing was a Herculean feat," said Cuno. "With her deft and practical leadership, the building was built on time and on budget. We will miss Meredith's collegiality and skills, and we wish her the best with our colleagues at the Rise Group."