Executive Committed to Deepening Community Connections
(Tucson, AZ)─Following a nationwide search conducted by Aspen Leadership Group, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has named Steven P. Haines as its President and Chief Executive Officer, effective December 4, 2019. In announcing the appointment, Autumn van den Berg, Chair of the Board of Trustees, stated, “In Steven Haines, TSO has an acclaimed, high-impact executive who has multiplied the positive effect of several symphony orchestras. He has demonstrated his commitment to the big picture in terms of creating social, educational and economic value, including tourism. Steven will be a key member of the Tucson community, as attested by his wide network of associations across the nation. Our board approved his selection unanimously, completing a series of steps we’ve taken to secure our future.”
Haines’ appointment comes at a pivotal and growth period for TSO, leading TSO into its next phase. Recently the Board signed a three-year contract with TSO’s professional musicians and extended Music Director José Luis Gomez’s contract through 2024.
Haines, who has already purchased a home in Tucson, sees new opportunities for the TSO to fulfill its mission. “I am equally excited about becoming a new resident of Tucson as becoming Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s President and CEO. Maestro José Luis Gomez has inspired the talented musicians of TSO and its audiences in southern Arizona. My focus will be to elevate the TSO’s profile and to demonstrate to the entire region its artistic excellence and community relevance. We will broaden our community-wide appeal to increase audiences, expand and enhance our educational offerings, and increase financial support. I look forward to working with and serving the entire community of Tucson.”
Haines was the Vice President for POPS of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and President and CEO of Peter Nero and the Philly Pops for nearly eight years prior to that. Haines increased The POPS’ budget over three-fold, quadrupled audiences, and created budget surpluses several years in a row. Haines brought many firsts to this venerable organization, including special engagements for the 40th Anniversary of NASA; the Republican National Convention; ABC’s Nationwide Live TV Fourth of July production with Blue Man Group, Garth Brooks, Michael Douglas, Whoopi Goldberg and Kathy Bates; and their first nationwide NPR broadcast.
Before moving to the Northeast, Steven served as Associate Director of Marketing and then Marketing Manager of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, the largest cultural organization in the State of Florida. Prior to the Florida Philharmonic, he was Marketing and Concert Director for the Palm Beach Pops. Haines also served as Director of Marketing and Public Relations from 1991 to 1994 for the Florida Symphonic Pops.
Most recently Steven Haines was CEO of The Young Americans, a performing arts college and international touring organization, re-elevating its national profile. Prior to that he joined the iconic San Francisco Zoo as its Vice President of Strategic Growth and Marketing, where he was responsible for all areas of earned revenues. Until he joined the San Francisco Zoo, Haines was Executive Director of San Francisco’s Stern Grove Festival, one of the country’s foremost presenters of admission-free concerts and outreach programs. Under Haines’s leadership, The Festival thrived as a model of financial sustainability, increasing its budget by nearly 40% and maintaining a balanced budget, performing for more than 100,000 Bay Area residents and visitors annually. As witness to his commitment always to the larger community, Steven was also proud to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Travel Association.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Haines received cum laude honors with a degree in French and International Communications. A musician by avocation, he considers himself lucky to share his professional expertise with his passion for music.
A board committee led by John Palmer including musicians selected Steven Haines. Palmer stated, “We were gratified to see a variety of strong candidates for this position, speaking to the increased visibility of Tucson Symphony Orchestra. I have no doubt that this comes with the orchestra’s artistic quality with José Luis Gomez’ leadership, including a recent statement on the worldwide broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune program that ‘people are taking notice of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.’ The committee felt confident that with Steven’s leadership our future impact will be even greater.”
Now celebrating its 91st season, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s mission is to engage, educate, and transform the community through live musical experiences of the highest quality, envisioning a community where music is the catalyst that brings people together across all boundaries for inspired living. Under the artistic leadership of Music Director José Luis Gomez, the TSO impacts more than 120,000 lives each year, infuses millions into Southern Arizona’s economy annually, and attracts over 75 professional musicians from across the country to live, perform, and teach in Tucson and throughout the state. Programming, Engagement, Partnership, and Learning are the TSO’s pillars. Its diverse offerings include the Classic, MasterWorks and Pops series, free Just for Kids concerts, a Free Community Concert, and many special performances. TSO’s education programs are present in 120 schools from Southern Pinal County to the Arizona–Mexico border reaching over 40,000 students each year, and include the 9-month Young Composer’s Project in which young Tucsonans learn to compose for symphony orchestra. The TSO partners with a variety of regional organizations to deepen its engagement with the community. Maestro Gomez conducts orchestras all over the world, serving as Tucson’s cultural ambassador to audiences on every continent.
Contact: Bruce Robinson, Vice President of Patron Loyalty, 520.620.9166