SAN FRANCISCO.- The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art announced the appointment of Blair Winn as the museum’s new director of development.

Winn comes to SFMOMA with more than 20 years of arts management and fundraising experience in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Since 2007, he has served as SFMOMA’s deputy director of development. Prior to joining SFMOMA, he was the associate director at Headlands Center for the Arts, an international artist residency program in the Marin Headlands. He also has held positions in New York City, as director of planning and development for the New Museum of Contemporary Art and chief development officer for The Drawing Center. Winn has a master’s degree in nonprofit visual arts administration from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in art history from San Francisco State University. He is a frequent guest speaker on topics relating to nonprofit management and fundraising.

As director of development, Winn will administer a comprehensive program of fundraising for the museum. In addition to developing and executing fundraising plans to support the SFMOMA’s operations, exhibitions, endowment, and other special projects, he will manage the museum’s development staff in such areas as individual giving; corporate, foundation, and government support; planned giving; special events; membership; and endowment fundraising. He will also be responsible for the strategic advancement of the SFMOMA’s development efforts, participating directly in donor relationships and institutional policy making.

Of his appointment Winn states, “As a native of San Francisco who began visiting SFMOMA as a child, I could not be more proud to be working for this civic institution on the eve of its 75th anniversary in 2010. The great work that the museum’s staff—especially the curators and the Board of Trustees—has done to raise the profile and international stature of the museum, makes this a thrilling time to play a role in the institution’s advancement.”

In addition to administering long-range strategic fundraising initiatives, Winn will supervise the implementation of goals, objectives, and policies for the 32-person Development Department responsible for raising the contributed portion of the museum’s $38 million annual operating budget. He will coordinate the work of the fundraising staff with other departments within the museum and oversee the activities of the museum’s interest groups and volunteer fundraising auxiliaries. In this capacity, Winn will work closely with the institution’s Board of Trustees and senior staff. He also will be a member of the director’s cabinet.