Michener Museum Names New Director

Lisa Tremper Hanover has been named the new director and CEO of the Michener Art Museum, the museum's board of directors announced Tuesday.

She succeeds Bruce Katsiff, who has been at the helm since 1989.

Hanover has been director of the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, for nearly a quarter century, where she also is adjunct professor of fine arts. The Berman is noted for its diverse collection and innovative educational programming. Like the Michener, it is accredited by the American Association of Museums.
 
“I have had the distinct pleasure of being the founding director of the Berman Museum of Art and its continued success is important to me,”  Hanover said Tuesday in a statement. “The opportunities offered by the Michener Art Museum, which has benefited from the leadership of my colleague who has an equally substantial tenure, are energizing and exciting to me at this point in my career.  The collections, exhibitions and programs are inspiring and I hope to broaden our reach in sharing this excellence with a variety of audiences. 

"The board and staff are accomplished and were deliberate and thoughtful about the process of engaging a new leader," she continued. "I am thrilled to be a part of this organization and look forward to representing this museum to our public, donors, and other cultural institutions.”
 
“After her successful tenure at the Berman, she is ready to build on the superb trajectory of the Michener,” said Lou Della Penna, President of the Michener's board. “She brings an art history background with a connection to the contemporary art scene, and an ability to reach multiple constituents. She arrives with energy and enthusiasm and I am confident she will heighten the dynamic presence of the institution. The board voted unanimously to bring her here.”
 
Hanover brings to the Michener a network of museum and curatorial professionals, as well as grounded relationships with artists. She has been instrumental in obtaining high-end donors, and her ability to solidify and retain relationships has earned an excellent reputation both within the community and throughout the national arena.
 
As a leader, Hanover is recognized for her enthusiasm and vision. From establishing the first museum program on campus in the Philadelphia-Reading-Allentown corridor in 1987, to orchestrating that museum’s accreditation in 2004, she has provided a unique blend of business acumen, non-profit fundraising and scholarly heft to the museum operation.
 
In addition to juggling board, faculty, staff and donor relationships, Hanover has curated exhibits, orchestrated the production of literature and marketing materials, and managed speaking and teaching engagements.
 
At the Berman, Hanover helped to facilitate major bequests, including one from renowned artist Francoise Gilot, Picasso’s partner and muse.
 
Her most recent accomplishment is the 2010 opening of a dramatic expansion to the Berman Museum.  Her vision, as she worked with Board members, architects, contractors and other specialists, resulted in new galleries, visible storage for the permanent collection, teaching areas and a rooftop sculpture terrace.  In tandem with Ursinus leadership, Hanover secured 100 percent of the funding for this project, including endowment funds. 

The Berman Museum of Art houses more than 4,000 works of art across art historical genres, mounts 10 exhibitions annually, and presents a wide array of educational programming for the general public, thanks to Hanover’s efforts.
 
Hanover has presented more than 200 public lectures to numerous professional organizations including the National Sculpture Society, the Print Club of Philadelphia, the Museum Council of Philadelphia, the Union League, Philadelphia Museum of Art Friends, Hadassah, the United Way, Elder Hostel programs and national art centers and museums.  In addition, she has juried more than 70 art exhibitions and public art commissions.
 
She is active in the museum community on a national scale, conducting Peer and Accreditation reviews, serving as President of the Association of Academic Museums & Galleries and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and as a member of the board of the Baum School of Art, the Wayne Art Center, and the Wood Turning Center of Philadelphia.
 
Hanover was educated at the University of Richmond and the University of Southern California, where she earned a master's degree in Modern Art History. She served as Assistant Registrar, Armand Hammer Foundation.
 
Hanover will join the Michener on July 9, 2012.