Seattle, WA - October 9, 2008 The Pilchuck Glass School board of trustees is thrilled to announce the selection of Arthur Jacobus to serve as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the school, effective October 27, 2008. Jacobus is an accomplished arts executive with strong ties to the Northwest. He succeeds Executive Director Patricia Watkinson, who retired from the position May 16, and Interim Executive Director Ralph Bufano.

Arthur Jacobus most recently served for three years as president of Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, Napa, CA, and during the previous three years, he served as president of The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts in Louisville, KY. He distinguished himself as an exemplary leader in the arts as executive director of the San Francisco Ballet. Jacobus led the creation of a strategic plan at the San Francisco Ballet and helped build a $30M endowment that focused on national and international touring. Previous to his position at the San Francisco Ballet he served as president of Pacific Northwest Ballet for nine years. He helped build a strong board there and directly led a successful $13.5M capital campaign and increased corporate sponsorships.

Patricia Wallace, president of Pilchuck Glass School Board of Trustees, welcomes Jacobus warmly; "Arthur is a great leader, he has the perfect combination of experience and knowledge to guide the school. We look forward to working with him as we plan for the future of Pilchuck."

Jacobus feels "honored to have the opportunity to work closely with the Pilchuck community. Pilchuck is lucky to have such an extensive family of artists, donors and supporters who are all directly invested in the future of the school." Jacobus holds masters degrees in Business Administration, Arts Administration, and Human Resources Management, and has completed the University of Washington's Executive Management Program, as well as the Harvard Business School's Strategic Perspectives for Non-Profit Management Program and their program on non-profit governance.

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Founded in 1971 by Dale Chihuly, Anne Gould Hauberg and John H. Hauberg (1916-2002), Pilchuck Glass School is an international center for glass art education. Located on a former tree farm in Stanwood, Washington, Pilchuck sponsors three-week classes each summer in a broad spectrum of glass techniques as well as residencies for emerging and established artists working in all media.

Pilchuck Glass School receives generous annual support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, the Washington State Arts Commission, PONCHO, The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the Kreielsheimer Remainder Foundation, the Corning Incorporated Foundation,4culture, the Jean K. Lafromboise Foundation, the Laila Twigg-Smith Fund of the Hawai'i Community Foundation and many generous individuals.

Pilchuck does not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, or ethnic origin in employment or in artistic or educational programs.

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