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Charlotte Symphony hires new president

Apr 1, 2016

Mary Deissler, now president of the Chicago Academy for the Arts, will take over as president and CEO of the Charlotte Symphony June 1, the group announced Friday.

She'll succeed Robert Stickler, who's managed a two-straight-year move into the black for the symphony. (It had not been there since 2002.) Deissler, whose career has focused on arts development, already has a few ideas on how she aims to continue that financial improvement. We asked her a few questions. (Answers are edited for brevity and clarity.)

Q. Your resume looks specifically strong in development: 25 years with Boston's Handel and Haydn Society, then three development jobs in the last seven years, at Save the Children, the L.A. Philharmonic and cultural center Artis-Naples in Florida. What are you most excited about here?

A. I'm excited about really building on the legacy Bob (Stickler) is leaving: an orchestra that's in good shape, ready to move forward, and working with Christopher Warren-Green, developing some programming ... and then really expanding community engagement.

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