LOUISVILLE, KY.- The
Speed Art Museum has announced that CEO Ghislain d’Humières will soon leave to return home to France to care for his ailing father. Assuming the role of Interim Director will be Stephen Reily, a longtime civic and business leader and supporter of the Museum. D’Humières will remain at the Speed Art Museum until the end of March and Reily will assume his position upon d’Humières’ departure.
In 2013 d’Humières joined the Speed Art Museum with a remarkable tenure that included oversight of the most ambitious project in its history – a $60 million, three-year expansion and renovation encompassing 220,000 square feet – keeping the project on budget and on schedule.
The Speed expansion created new state-of-the-art space for larger exhibitions, contemporary art galleries, a Kentucky gallery, an indoor/outdoor café, and a multifunctional Grand Hall for performances, lectures and events. The expansion included construction of the new South Building, which holds exhibition space and the Speed Cinema, which introduced wildly popular and successful film series featuring a diverse mix of American independent and international films. Additionally, the Elizabeth P. and Frederick K. Cressman Art Park and public piazza features artworks created specifically for the Speed Museum. In addition, he also expanded the Speed Art Museum’s reach into the community by providing exhibitions and programs at Local Speed, a satellite location in the popular Nulu district, which was open during the renovation.
“I am so incredibly proud of what I have been able to accomplish during my time at the Speed Art Museum with the support of this amazing community,” said d’Humières. “Though I will miss the Museum and Louisville, I must return to France to provide support and assistance to my father, who is ill, but I will always remember the commitment of this community to ensure this prized museum lasts a lifetime.”
Reily will step in to serve as Interim Director, assuming d’Humières duties. A successful entrepreneur, civic leader, lawyer and supporter of the arts, Reily served on the Speed Art Museum board for 10 years, including several years as chair of both the Museum’s Long-Range Planning Committee and its Curatorial Committee. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Creative Capital Foundation, a national grant maker in the arts, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York.
“We are forever indebted to Ghislain for the enormous strides that we achieved under his leadership,” said Martha Slaughter, Chair of the Speed Art Museum Board of Directors. “And while we wish him and his family well, we are incredibly fortunate to have Stephen Reily, with his rich experience and love of art, willing to step up to ensure we continue the momentum we have created.”
Reily has served as the longtime chair of the Greater Louisville Project and is a member of the board of the Louisville Urban League. He also founded Seed Capital Kentucky, a non-profit focused on building a more sustainable future for Kentucky’s farmers. He is an entrepreneur who chairs IMC, a holding company for three companies he founded: influencer marketing agency Vibrant Nation, brand licensing agency IMC Licensing, and digital financial wellness provider SUM180.
