The current executive director of The Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford will be leaving her role sometime in the new year.
Suzanne Greening has been appointed director of the Audain Art Museum, which is currently under construction in Whistler. She will be responsible for opening the new museum.
She takes on her new role starting March 1.
“There was a lot of interest in this position and our board concluded that Ms. Greening, with her broad museum management experience, is the ideal candidate,” said chair Michael Audain. “Ms. Greening has the experience and expertise needed to get our museum organized and operating by mid-2015.”
Greening has a degree in art history from McMaster University and was responsible for opening The Reach in 2008.
Prior to that, she was director of both the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington and the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo, Ont., also start-up situations.
Greening has been involved in cultural community development throughout her career.
“To manage a brand new art museum in one of the world’s most beautiful resorts is a director’s dream,” Greening said. “I will also have the privilege of working with the Audain art collection, which is one of Canada’s most important.”
Milt Walker, chair of The Reach's board of directors, said Greening will be missed.
"She has been able, during her five years in Abbotsford, to raise the bar very high in spearheading the acquisition of exhibitions that were previously only available to larger cities," he said.
"She has maintained the integrity of The Reach as a class 'A' gallery and museum and leaves behind a legacy and solid foundation the arts community can continue to build on."
Walker said it is a testament to Greening and to The Reach that Audain – one of Canada's leading art collectors and philanthropists – found the executive director for his new gallery in Abbotsford, following an international search.
The 56,000-square-foot Audain Art Museum, now under construction on Whistler’s Blackcomb Way, is designed by Patkau Architects.
It will house the pick of Michael Audain’s collection of British Columbia art as well as exhibitions from around the world.
Greening's replacement at The Reach has not yet been hired.