The Board of The Mainstay, the storefront non-profit performing arts center in Rock Hall, MD, has named Rory Trainor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin to be its new Executive Director effective January 1, 2016. Trainor will fill the vacancy created when Tom McHugh, The Mainstay’s founder and current Executive Director retires on December 31, 2015.
Rory Trainor is a graduate of Marquette University in Theatre Arts. For the past 9 years he has worked for Alverno Presents in positions of increasing responsibility leading to his present position as Managing Director. Alverno Presents is a professional performing arts presenting organization at Alverno College in Milwaukee, where they present “eclectic, forward-thinking performing arts of the highest quality” spanning the genres of “new music, jazz, Americana, independent rock, international music, theater, and dance.
Trainor brings to The Mainstay broad presenting, administrative and fundraising experience and an eagerness and enthusiasm to create programming to delight local audiences and lead The Mainstay into the future.
Trainor says, “It is inadequate to say that I am simply excited to be chosen as the new Executive Director for The Mainstay. To succeed such a much loved founder as Tom McHugh, is a daunting prospect, but one that I cherish and embrace. Tom and everyone involved with the beginning of The Mainstay probably couldn’t have imagined bringing it to this very exciting time. The organization is in a uniquely strong place, with a rich history of high quality music presenting and an incredibly supportive community of arts lovers. Still there is great potential to grow the Mainstay and make it even stronger. It is a great honor to get an opportunity to take over something so dear to so many hearts and to carry on the great work that has already been done.”
Trainor’s appointment is the culmination of a nationwide search conducted by The Mainstay Board of Directors. The Search Committee headed by Judy Kohl, received upwards of 70 applications, many of whom had strong credentials and were considered serious candidates.
Judy Kohl said, “Each of our final candidates brought special talents to the follow-up interview. Because of the careful work of the previous committees, the Search Committee knew what we were looking for and what The Mainstay needed. Rory’s multi-faceted skills met those needs… or maybe it was because he loves oysters.”
Trainor was the unanimous choice of the committee and the Board as a whole to succeed McHugh.
Becky Byrd, President of the Mainstay Board said, “The commitment and thoughtful attention of everyone – from the Board, to the Strategic Planning Committee chaired by Barbara Fancher, the Transition Committee chaired by Dan Seikaly and the Search Committee chaired by Judy Kohl has yielded us a well-rounded, enthusiastic individual as our new Executive Director. We are very excited about the future of the Mainstay.”
Rory Trainor is originally from Massachusetts. In addition to his work with Alverno Presents, he has held positions as a charter fishing mate, a lighting designer and rock climbing instructor. He is a Board Member of The National Performance Network and is a co-founder of the Midwest World Music Consortium.
When asked about making the move from Milwaukee to Rock Hall, Trainor said, “I have spent the last thirteen years living in Milwaukee, growing as an arts presenter, person and community member. I have developed an incredibly close group of friends and colleagues… This sense of community and understanding, that has taken many years to develop, is something special, something that comes about organically.
Milwaukee will forever be a part of who I am and why it is possible for me to be coming to The Mainstay. Rock Hall and Kent County are a community that I am delighted to get to be a new member of, and to spend the time organically, though vigorously, finding my place in both what I can give and what I can learn. I hope that everyone will feel comfortable seeking me out to find ways to partner, improve the work that
The Mainstay does in the arts and within the community, or to just share a beer and some oysters, so, so many oysters.”
Rory Trainor will become Executive Director of The Mainstay on January 1. At that time, Tom McHugh will become Director Emeritus and will be available on-call to Trainor as an advisor. The Board and the staff of The Mainstay will remain in place and are committed to making the transition a smooth one. Becky Byrd says, “We hope all of Kent County and the Mainstay’s many artist friends throughout the performing arts world will join us in welcoming Rory to The Mainstay family. We hope everyone will share our conviction that The Mainstay is on the road to a future that is bright indeed.”
The Mainstay (Home of Musical Magic) is the friendly informal storefront performing arts center on Rock Hall’s old time Main Street. It is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit dedicated to the arts, serving Rock Hall, MD and the surrounding region. It is committed to presenting local, regional and national level talent, at a reasonable price, in an almost perfect acoustic setting.
It was founded by Tom McHugh as a single concert that grew into a series in rented space and then to a year-round non-profit venue in its own building on Main Street in Rock Hall.
The Mainstay currently presents more than 50 concerts at year in genres ranging from Jazz to folk to blues to bluegrass to Americana with the occasional theater presentation, poetry reading, art show or film presentation.
Several years ago, McHugh began preparing the Board for his eventual retirement and the Board began to position itself through fundraising and Board development for the eventual search for a replacement.
The Mainstay is supported by ticket sales, fundraising including donations from friends and audience members and an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.
matthew weir says
No offense to the new director but I am not sure anyone can “replace” Tom McHugh!