BUFFALO, N.Y. — Shea's Performing Arts Center announced officially that Congressman Brian M. Higgins is their new President and CEO.
Shea's says Higgins' leadership positions, as well as his involvement in key investments in the City of Buffalo, made him an ideal candidate.
"The Congressman's return to Buffalo is a welcomed homecoming; his fresh perspective will enhance Shea's mission and strategic goals. He is the right person to steer Shea's towards a vibrant future with the dedicated board, leadership team, and staff," said Shea's Performing Arts Center Board of Trustees Chair, Jonathan Dandes.
"Brian stood out as the best fit for the future of Shea's Performing Arts Center. His frontline work in community development in Western New York aligns perfectly with our vision to elevate Shea's as the region's premier cultural destination," said Albert Nocciolino, Broadway Partner-Producer and search committee member about the search process.
U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., announced last week he will leave Congress before the end of his current term after growing frustrated with dysfunction in Washington.
“It's just a time for change, and I think this is the time,” Higgins, 64, said at a news conference. He plans to leave office during the first week of February, he said.
Higgins, who serves on the House Ways and Means and Budget committees, began his 10th term in January.
“Congress is not the institution that I went to 19 years ago. It’s a very different place today,” he said. “We’re spending more time doing less, and the American people aren’t being served.”
Higgins joins a number of Congress members who have recently announced they would not seek reelection next year, including Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio, who added his name to the list last week
Higgins replaces former president Michael Murphy
Shea's Performing Arts Center Board of Trustees announced in October 2022 that Murphy would no longer be president.
This announcement came a couple of months after the organization announced Murphy would be taking on a new role. He was moved off of handling day-to-day operations but Shea's did not say why.
Naming Higgins as the new leader of Shea's was not a surprise announcement, but because of his schedule in Washington, Shea's had to wait until Monday to hold the official press conference.
After going through one hundred applications from around the world and whittling them down to ten finalists, and three people for in-person interviews, Shea's chose Higgins.
"And I thought, you know, I could probably stay in Congress, but I wanted to look at an institution like the Shea's which has a storied place in Buffalo's history as an iconic and cultural institution," said Higgins.
"When the reports began to surface that he was under consideration for the Buffalo State position, I called him and said, I had no idea you were thinking about leaving Congress, would Shea's be an opportunity that you might think about?" said Dandes.
"John and I have talked about the fact that this lobby and this theater, it's magical. The process of getting to that magic is not magical. So doing things to look at new opportunities to expand the patron base," said Higgins.
To do that, they plan on attracting a wider audience from Canada and focusing on the theater district as a whole for downtown revitalization.
They also want to make Shea's more accessible for people with disabilities and have already started addressing issues brought up by the staff when it came to the previous administration.
"My governing philosophy will be consistent with my administrative philosophy here, and that is everybody needs to be respected. Everybody needs to be their authentic self without fear or apprehension," said Higgins.
Higgins will begin his new job at Shea's beginning February 5, 2024.
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