FROM THE PRESIDENT: Brian Groetsch As I sit down to write my final contribution to the newsletter as Cape May MAC Board President, I find myself reflecting on the transformation I’ve witnessed as I conclude my nine years on the Board of Trustees and thinking how fortunate I was to have been a part of such an important organization to the Cape May area at such a critical time in its history. My introduction to MAC was on a team with a mission to reach the more elusive Cape May traveler who opted for a whole house or condominium instead of the traditional Hotel, Motel, Guest House or Bed & Breakfast experience where MAC has worked hard to reach guests. That program placed thousands of tags on vacation rental keys with a way to see the latest MAC offerings and was in place for many years after. This is just one example of the organization’s ability to adapt to change through creativity and collaboration with community partners for which it has become known. You see, this was at a time when grant funding from the State of New Jersey for non-profit organizations like Cape May MAC had been slashed after the recent economic meltdown and a lot of belt-tightening happening in Trenton. While MAC was not immune to having to make some short-term adjustments, we could have easily slashed spending, cut staff and reduced programming to residents and visitors to make up the short fall. Instead, at one of the direst moments for non-profits in New Jersey, a new idea was born thanks to one of MAC’s most dedicated volunteers and past president herself, Diane Hutchinson along with her son Graydon. Together with another team of staff, volunteers and community partners rose one of the biggest fund-raising events in MAC’s history – The Craft Beer & Crab Festival at the Emlen Physick Estate. While the name and number of events at the Estate have evolved over the years, it was this spark that caused MAC to consider new ways to leverage their greatest asset to attract new visitors and partners to the Physick Estate and allow Cape May MAC to continue to support the thousands of unique offerings presented each year. Another of the major initiatives undertaken during this time was our transformation from The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities to Cape May MAC (Museums + Art + Culture). With the guidance of long-time member and current Trustee, Norris Clark and his team of branding ex-
Page 10 • Holiday 2023
perts, the organization sought to re-brand itself to better reflect the organization it had grown to be since its inception nearly 50 years earlier. While the “MAC” remains, the meaning behind the acronym now articulated MAC’s commitment not only to the Arts, but to preserving and interpreting Cape May’s rich History as well as being a major contributor to many Cultural events throughout each year. The next challenge facing MAC was probably the heaviest lift of all, and that was the task of finding the replacement for outgoing longtime Director/CEO B. Michael Zuckerman. Michael, as many of you know, signed on with MAC as its very first full-time director 37 years earlier. Under his leadership, MAC went from an all-volunteer organization born out of a local political revolution aimed at preserving the Physic Estate, to an absolute juggernaut of a non-profit organization throughout the region with 100+ full and part time employees, 3 historic sites under its stewardship and hundreds of thousands of visitors served each year. A new team led by founding member and perennial supporter of MAC, Tom Carroll along with Past President Mary McKenney and Lee Belarmino, were tasked with the seemingly impossible--- to find a successor to Michael. Early in the process it was believed that the only way to truly replace Michael was through two or more new staff members due to the many hats he wore. However, through the work of the search team and many months of interviews and effort, a candidate emerged that seemed uniquely built for the challenge to take the reins. So, February 2020, we welcomed our new Director/CEO Jody Alessandrine. Cape May MAC
Jody came with a wide range of experience that the team felt translated perfectly for the task at hand, but nobody could have anticipated the challenge he would face just a few weeks into his tenure – the COVID-19 Pandemic. As I’m sure you’re just as tired of talking about COVID as much as I am, it’s sufficient to say that Jody’s leadership during this dark and difficult time has resulted in a Cape May MAC that is as strong and engaged as it has ever been in its 53-year history. The most recent major initiative I was able to take part in is the one that I am most excited about, and that is the completion of the recent Economic Impact Study that was completed in partnership with the Cape May County Tourism Department. It was widely accepted that Cape May MAC played a role in the local economy (heads in beds, seats in restaurants, retail sales, etc.), but nobody could have imagined the extent to which MAC’s activities impacted the local economy and region overall—nearly $200 million annually. With the study complete, Cape May MAC is engaging regional partners as well as local, state and federal officials with the proof that MAC is making a difference in the community and is worthy of their continued support. In 2024, Cape May MAC will reach an incredible milestone, which will be when the organization crosses over the $20,000,000 mark for grant funding awarded since 1988. It is through these grants that Cape May MAC can continue its’ work within the community as well the monumental task of preserving and maintaining the World War II Lookout Tower, Cape May Lighthouse and Emlen Physick Estate. It is entirely thanks to the talented MAC staff who have become highly skilled in the task of grant writing that this work would be nearly impossible. Without them, Cape May MAC’s impact couldn’t have gone nearly as far as it has. It is with deep gratitude that I leave my post on the Board of Trustees at the end of the year. It has been a great honor to serve alongside some of the brightest, most talented and incredibly generous volunteers any non-profit could be blessed with as well as to witness the selfless hard work displayed by the Cape May MAC Staff each and every day. While I leave a MAC that looks much different than when I arrived, I am confident in its ability to continue to make an impact on the Cape May Community for many years to come!
www.capemaymac.org
