Comments on: Jacksonville CEO Resigns

By: margaret koscielny

margaret koscielny — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:09:25 +0000

What makes the Hopper firing so interesting is that in the Spring, he and Fabio Mechetti’s salaries were given a big increase. If Hopper was so valuable in the Spring, how can he be where he is now? I think, whether he is to blame for the problems, and I believe he bears a certain share, the Executive Board and its Chairman, Van Vleck, are denying their role in all this, and should resign, too.

By: Rob Gold

Rob Gold — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 12:54:14 +0000

I’m not sure you can lump Jacksonville in with Louisville or Columbus. Both Louisville and Columbus have had decades of wobbly finances. Jacksonville has shown fairly steady operations and good community support.

My understanding is that JAX had been doing better as well but that makes it even more curious as to why their board decided to follow a similar strategic process (which arrived at similar conclusions) as Louisville (and now Columbus). ~ Drew McManus

By: Capt. A. Habb

Capt. A. Habb — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:05:07 +0000

The irony of the whole thing was that Alan was smelling like roses a few years ago with the JSO posting back to back years in the black. The idea to move the numbers around right before negotiations so the situation looked really bad turned out to be the final
nail in the coffin for Hopper. I’m not an expert on the JSO situation, but I would of liked to have seen how much of the good years was acutally because of Mr Hopper, versus how much of this “dire situation” was fabricated by the board.

Lets hope they do the next right thing in Jacksonville and make Van Vleck walk the plank too, his leadership is failing. It is time for the experts on the Exec. board to own up and get this ship moving in the right direction!

By: margaret koscielny

margaret koscielny — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:37:07 +0000

The Board is using Hopper to cover the fact that they are equally responsible for the deficit and the conditions which led them to the unnecessary
“lockout” of the musicians. The Executive Board and the President of the Board should also resign.

Jacksonville is in love with mediocrity, however, and whoever Hopper’s replacement is will be someone who will not challenge this Board.

It will certainly be interesting to watch the search process unfold. ~ Drew McManus

By: HVS

HVS — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:45:50 +0000

The key line in this whole tragedy, as well as all those that have preceded and (unfortunately) will succeed it, is “…executive board leaders excluded artistic stakeholders while developing a strategic plan…”.

The LAO (aka ASOL, aka “The League”)should stress that point to all aspiring arts administrators. Most probably, that organization will only shuffle Mr. Hopper to another orchestra. They have a pattern of moving failed executives from orchestra to orchestra so no one organization can monopolize dysfunction. At least they can claim success in one area.

By: symphony

symphony — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:26:07 +0000

Jacksonville CEO Resigns

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