With over 30 years of senior non-profit experience in multiple disciplines, Martin Kagan has been successful, creative, and innovative in his approach to strategic planning, programming, leadership, fundraising, financial management, consensus building, board relations, marketing, and administration. Throughout my career, he has been self-directed in management, proactive in establishing valuable partnerships, and entrepreneurial in developing creative solutions.He is also a team player and work exceptional well in an interdisciplinary environment.
For each of his past positions, he has been involved in creating and supervising realistic budgets, directing and overseeing administrative staff, including HR and IT, managing corporate assets, developing manuals and operating systems, and preparing accurate budgets and cash flow projections plus creating timely and readable reports. he has worked well with IATSE and other unions.
As an executive accountable for operating arts facilities and as the individual in charge of programming venues, he has a very clear perspective and a deep understanding of the responsibilities and priorities involved in each distinct task.
Development and marketing has always been an integral component of every position he has held. He believes that a program that develops emotional connections and shared values with its audience and donors ensures loyalty, commitment, and larger gifts.
At Pace University and The Alex Theatre, he created a performing arts presenting program, which had not existed prior to his arrival and developed the branding programs that created public awareness of the venues. The programming of dance, popular, classical and global music, comedy, theater, film, and family entertainment is based on artistic excellence, diversity, professionalism and creativity. He presented world-class artists in an environment that best showcases their talent and unique expertise.
At the Schimmel, he worked closely with the faculty and resident companies on guest artists, dates, special events, box office etc. to ensure that each year there is a working and professional inter-meshing of these important local organizations with the programs in the theater.
As Executive Director of OPERA America, he expanded the membership and budget and brought a strong level of professionalism to the financial administration of the organization. He created, and funded a multi-million-dollar program, called OPERA FOR THE EIGHTIES AND BEYOND, that brought together many of the large national corporations, foundations and government to support the program which funded the development of new works
At Consumers Union, where integrity is integral, Ihe designed and implemented a comprehensive development strategy that raised approximately $20 million per year and significantly increased donations. He changed the direct response program from accumulated giving to annual giving and instituted a President’s Circle for major gifts. He built the endowment and expanded the planned giving program beyond charitable gift annuities to include appreciated property, trusts, retained life estates and a proactive bequest program.
At the Paul Taylor Dance Company, he not only found a new home for the company but also led the efforts to raise the $6 million for the renovations. He worked with Mr. Taylor on a program to transfer his assets to the organization, while he was alive, through planned gifts.
He is a leader who works closely with partners, staff, volunteers and funders to creatively and strategically fulfill the short term and long-term goals of the organization. He works well with creative minds and diverse viewpoints leading them towards a unified vision.
For eight years, he taught a course on “Managing Creativity” to junior and senior students in the arts and entertainment program at the Lubin Business School at Pace University. The course not only explores creativity and the creative process in the arts versus business and science but develops skills in effectively managing creative talents. He have an intuitive grasp of creativity and the creative process by creators and interpreters and am successful in working with both.
In addition, he developed the syllabus and taught the initial course on “Governance and Stakeholders in the Arts”. This course provided an overview and analysis of the various governance structures typical of non-profit and for-profit organizations. It examined the unique challenges of managing relationships with stakeholders, and explored the challenges of governing these institutions
He is an excellent listener and is very adept at managing staff responsibilities and expectations plus motivating the staff to their potential. He brings transparency to the position. He links the mission and action plans together with the customers, the human resource needs, the operations and of course, the finances.
He has a deep understanding of DEI issues and am sensitive to the public perception of the organization’s initiatives. He recognizes that every person, organization, and community is unique.
His educational credentials include a Diploma from the Harvard Institute in Arts Administration, a Masters in Environmental Studies in Planning and Administration of the Arts from York University, Toronto, Ontario, and an undergraduate degree in Geography and Planning from Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.
Mr. Kagan is a citizen of both the United States and Canada.
