ORLANDO, FL.- The Orlando Museum of Art announced today the appointment of Glen Gentele as Director & CEO after the vote of the Board of Trustees at its October meeting. Mr. Gentele will succeed long time Executive Director, Marena Grant Morrisey, who is retiring at the end of this year.

Ted R. Brown, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said "We are extremely pleased to have Glen Gentele join us with his impressive background and experience, and know that his vision, expertise, and perspective will provide the next generation of leadership needed for the Museum as we look to the future." Gentele brings over 21 years of museum and education experience to his new position, having previously served as President & Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and as Director of Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, where he held a joint appointment as the Aronson Endowed Professor for Modern and Contemporary Art at the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

"It is an honor and privilege to have this opportunity to serve as the Director of one of the State of Florida 's leading cultural institutions," said Gentele. "The Orlando Museum of Art is a cultural jewel in Florida and I look forward to working with the Museum's generous and distinguished Board of Trustees, members of the staff, and the larger community in advancing the Museum's mission and legacy in service to the region," he continued. Over the course of his career Gentele has developed a track record of program innovations and fundraising successes across curatorial, educational, marketing, and related program functions. He has organized and presented major national and international exhibitions and projects with emerging, mid-career, and established artists including Tony Tasset, John Waters, Tobias Putrih, Julie Heffernan, Mark di Suvero, Sol LeWitt, Jill Downen, Phillip Richard, John Henry, Chakaia Booker, Franco Mondini-Ruiz, Jose Bedia, Beverly Pepper, Jackie Ferrara, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Robert Chambers, Jason Peters, and Karyn Olivier, among others.

During his tenure at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Gentele provided critical leadership for the museum and brought astute fundraising and programmatic initiatives to the institution that resulted in new funding and enhanced collaborations with local, national, and international institutions, greater quality and depth of the permanent collection, increased visibility for the museum, new educational opportunities and scholarship about art and culture, and first time ever programming for the museum. In St. Louis, as Director of Laumeier Sculpture Park, Gentele is credited with restoring public trust in the institution by uniting the Board of Directors and staff in support of a mission, long term vision, and strategic plan for public/private partnership for the organization's future development, transforming the exhibition, education and public programs, conserving and restoring major site-specific and monumental works of art, and for increasing visitation and contributions to the organization, among other accomplishments.

In addition to his service as a museum director over the past 11 years, Gentele brings a connection to Florida having held important positions at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota , Florida and earlier at The Art Museum at Florida International University , (now the Frost Art Museum ) Miami , Florida . He received a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from Florida State University in Tallahassee , Florida ; a master's degree in Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore , Maryland ; and was awarded a two year fellowship in the CORE program at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston , Glassell School of Art. Gentele is married to contemporary art museum director/curator Shannon Fitzgerald. His son is currently pursuing a PhD in history. He will begin the Directorship at the Orlando Museum of Art in January 2013.

A nationwide search was conducted by the Museum to select the new Director after Marena Grant Morrisey advised the Trustees that she planned to retire as Executive Director at the end of 2012.