Taliesin Preservation, Inc., a private not-for-profit, 501(c)(3)organization located in Spring Green, Wisconsin seeks experienced and talented candidates for the position of Executive Director.
About the organization: Taliesin Preservation, Inc. (TPI) formed in 1990 as a result of the recommendations of a task force convened by Wisconsin's then-Governor, Tommy G. Thompson. Since then, the organization has sought
to fulfill its mission to preserve Taliesin and share it with the world.
Taliesin stands as the most-complete representation of architect Frank Lloyd Wright's work in one place and offers the world an unparalleled view into Wright's genius of architecture and design.
Taliesin (TALLY-es-in), a Welsh word that means "shining brow" encompasses a 600 acre estate, vast fine and decorative art collections, and six primary buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright's design: the Romeo & Juliet
Windmill (1897), the Hillside Home School (1902, 1932, 1952), the Tan-y-deri House (1907), Midway Barns (1920s-1950s), the Taliesin Residence (1911, 1915, 1925), and the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, originally the Riverview Terrace (1953).
Taliesin Preservation works in close cooperation with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the owner and occupant of the Taliesin Estate. TPI owns a permanent public easement to the estate and has entered into a series of agreements with the Foundation governing its contribution to the site.
Frank Lloyd Wright himself created the Foundation in 1940, also a private 501(c)(3) organization, as heir to his estate and that of his wife, Olgivanna. The Wrights built the Foundation into the repository of their legacy. The Foundation owns Taliesin and Taliesin and Taliesin West in
Scottsdale, Arizona, and today it encompasses the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture; the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives; and the for-profit subsidiary, Taliesin Architects. It also operates the tour, retail, and
conservation programs at Taliesin West and manages the intellectual property and licensing program related to Wright's work. The Foundation also serves as the corporate home of the Taliesin Fellowship, an on-site community of architects, designers, educators, and students that lives and works at Taliesin and Taliesin West. To learn more about the Foundation, visit www.franklloydwright.org.
Taliesin Preservation, Inc. advances a dual mission: To preserve Taliesinas an eminent example of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture and to share it with the world. TPI operates a preservation program consisting of major
planning and restoration projects and maintenance. Preservation at Taliesin addresses not just the buildings but also the fine and decorative art collections and 600 acres of land. The collections include fine and
important pieces of Asian art in addition to a wealth of original designs by Frank Lloyd Wright. The landscape includes an important cultural landscape, designed by Wright, fragile natural resources, and 190 acres of
farmland.
TPI also operates a high-quality visitation and public education program that reaches over 35,000 on-site ticket-holders annually and many more through its free visitor center, web site, and educational programs and
publications. The visitation program operates seven days per week May through October, offering a core program of three tours daily of Hillside, Taliesin, and the grounds with comprehensive estate tours offered three
times weekly. The Wright-designed visitor center also offers visitors daily opportunities to shop, dine, view exhibits, and to experience an original Wright space.
As a young organization, TPI successfully addressed major preservation challenges, completing an impressive number of major and minor projects and implementing a site-wide maintenance program. It also created the visitation and education program, rehabilitating the vacant Riverview
Terrance building into the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center.
Now, with an established track record and successful foundation programs in place, TPI seeks to enhance its national and regional profile, to maintain and advance its programs, and to secure the funding from philanthropic
sources necessary to undertake the major preservation projects needed on the Taliesin Estate.
The position and the candidate: The Executive Director of Taliesin Preservation, Inc. (TPI) provides leadership for the organization both internally and externally and articulates the organization's purpose and the value of Taliesin. The executive director displays a commitment to and passion for TPI's mission and develops a national profile in public relations, program, and development.
The successful candidate will bring experience and talent in leading organizations. Although desirable, candidates need not possess expertise in architecture, preservation, education, or tourism; however, they should possess a keen personal interest and grasp of the importance of design,
architecture, and its advancement. They should be passionate about TPI's mission and quickly develop understanding of both detail and broad issues
and vision.
The executive director engages friends of the organization to advance mission and priorities and works to attract, retain, and support quality staff, board, and allies of the organization. The executive director reports to the Board of Trustees and has overall administrative responsibility to conduct the day-to-day business of TPI and implement the
policies of the Board.
The successful candidate will exhibit successful experience in management of employees and boards and demonstrate the ability to effectively manage highly-independent colleagues. Candidates will find board development and
employee recruitment and retention key aspects of the position. In addition, overall management experience, especially in the not-for-profit sector, will serve candidates well.
This CEO position has general supervisory responsibility for the preservation and visitor center programs, the finance and control functions, and direct responsibility for fund-raising, public relations, and leadership. The executive director provides staff support for the
Board of Trustees and its Committees and represents TPI with external constituencies on a day-to-day basis. The leadership of the Executive Director will move TPI toward success in its mission.
The successful candidate thrives on providing vision and direction and on the message development, coaching, and persuading necessary to build a strong team of supporters and allies. The candidate must demonstrate proven ability to advance an agenda and to secure the support, both
financial and otherwise, of key donors and constituencies.
The executive director enjoys broad influence in the realms of preservation, design, art, and architecture and a workplace unparalleled in its devotion to and exhibition of the aesthetic in every day life. Candidates have the opportunity to work with a dedicated and experienced
staff and many other loyal supporters. Taliesin and Taliesin Preservation, Inc. offer exciting challenges for the self-directed, visionary, and experienced executive who knows what it takes to accomplish a mission of
international importance and who would enjoy working in one of the world's most stimulating and relevant places.
Please visit www.taliesinpreservation.org to learn more about the organization.
Please send letters of inquiry or interest to Dr. H. Nicholas Muller, President Board of Trustees, Taliesin Preservation, Inc. P.O. Box 399 Spring Green, WI 53588
Serious candidates may also contact the incumbent for more information: Juli Aulik, Executive Director 608.588.7090
[email protected]
