10 to Watch in 2016: Joe Bafaro Jr., Worcester Art Museum

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

GoLocalWorcester News Team

In Worcester, museums are big business and the Worcester Art Museum is the biggest.

Over the past few years it has changed its strategic direction, tried to get more relevant and absorbed the Higgins Collection. But, there are many challenges for mid-sized collections in mid-sized cities.

Moreover, the financial challenge of managing the collection is omni-present.

The selection of Bafaro to lead the board is critical and strategic. According to the most recently published three-year period of tax data from the museum, despite major gains in the stock market the assets of the WAM has remained relatively flat at the $100 million level.

For WAM to thrive Bafaro’s leadership is critical.