1. Elizabeth Stern, Mark Leavitt, Trustee Taryn Leavitt, and Geoffrey Stern. 2. Artis Hampshire-Cowan and Trustee Nathaniel J. Sutton. 3. William Gladstone, Director Gerard C. Wertkin, Mildred Gladstone, and Trustee Ralph 0. Esmerian. 4. Pentagram Design's Woody Pirtle with his wife, Leslie. 5. Alexis Contos and Trustee Nancy Mead. 6. Deputy Director Riccardo Salmona (center) with Robert and Marjorie Hirschhorn. 7. Trustee David L. Davies and Jack Weeden.
Photos: Laura Loots 34 SPRING 2002 FOLK ART
Guggenheimer, who was assisted by Jennifer Tulley and, later, Jonathan Reo. All three quickly became integral members of the team, and their efforts truly show. Another individual whose contributions to the success of this project cannot be overstated is Seamus Henchy. As our owner's representative and president of the firm that bears his name, Henchy was ultimately responsible for bringing the project in on budget. Tough when he had to be, reasonable when that sentiment needed to prevail, he steered the rest of us the through the vagaries of building in midtown Manhattan. Like the architects, he assembled a team of people whose contributions have proved invaluable. Chris Norfleet aided Henchy and frequently stepped in for him in what has to be the most thankless role in any construction project. Norfleet never wavered in his devotion to the museum's interests, not only in terms of what would be best for the project, but what would best serve the museum over time. He was assisted by the steadfast Tom McClain. The team was rounded out by Kristen Solurey, who not only assisted Henchy and Norfleet, but worked closely with Jennifer Turner of the architect's office on the museum's furniture and fixtures package and interacted daily and patiently with the various New York City departments whose help the museum needed to secure its capital funding. The four of them were nothing short of amazing. From the beginning, the Building Committee brought into the project two firms who deserve as much credit as anyone for the critical praise the museum has received recently. The first of these renowned firms, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, was hired to design not only the inaugural exhibitions but also the display of the museum's permanent collection. Initially, we worked closely with Ralph Appelbaum himself, as well as with Melanie Ide and Mary Beth Byrne. As the project moved into the latter stages, Appelbaum's exhibition designer Rick Sobel and Byrne became a part of the daily lives of the museum's curators Stacy C. Hollander and Brooke Davis Anderson, and Ann-Marie Reilly, the museum's
"American Radiance": Fame weathervane, facing 53rd Street windows, southeast corner, third floor.