Bill Reid Gallery Welcomes New CEO

The Bill Reid Foundation announced this week the appointment of Alexandra Montgomery as CEO of the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, effective October 1, 2014.

For 14 years Montgomery was executive director of the Gardiner Museum, Canada's national ceramics museum in Toronto. She oversaw the 2006 award-winning $20M expansion and renovation of the museum, which created the facilities necessary to expand the Gardiner's public programming and diversify its audience and revenues. She has also played a key role in the senior management teams at the Canadian Opera Company, the Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts, and Tides Canada.

Montgomery has a BA (Hons.) in Art History (Queen’s University, Kingston) and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business (York University, Toronto).

“We are delighted Ms. Montgomery, a seasoned, well-rounded Canadian arts leader has joined the Bill Reid Gallery," said David Gillanders, chair of the Bill Reid Foundation and Scott Hean, chair of the Bill Reid Trust, in a press release. "Her energy, professionalism and focus will drive the Bill Reid Gallery to new levels of community engagement."

“I am excited to have the opportunity to build on the success of the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art by working with the Board and staff to celebrate both Bill Reid’s international legacy as a great Canadian artist and to promote extraordinary contemporary Northwest Coast art and artists," said Montgomery. "I look forward to working collaboratively to create exhibitions and programs that engage the community, excite the public, and add to the discourse of contemporary art in Vancouver.”

Montgomery succeeds Michael Robinson, who has led the Gallery since January 2009. Robinson will continue on as president of the Bill Reid Foundation to ensure a seamless leadership transition.

For more about the Bill Reid Gallery visit billreidgallery.ca.